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Beneath The Blades: Marine Wind Farms Support Parts Of Local Biodiversity - A Systematic Review.

Home
Research Domains
Engineering
Maritime Engineering
Ocean Engineering
Beneath The Blades: Marine Wind Farms Support Parts Of Local Biodiversity - A Systematic Review.

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Published on: September 5, 2018

Beneath the blades: Marine wind farms support parts of local biodiversity - a systematic review.

Alexander H Knorrn¹, Tiit Teder², Ants Kaasik³

¹Marine Research Department, Senckenberg am Meer, Südstrand 40, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany; MARUM, Research Faculty University of Bremen, Loebener Str. 8, 28359 Bremen, Germany.

The Science of the Total Environment

|May 20, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Offshore wind farms in European waters generally increase marine species abundance, acting as artificial reefs. This positive effect on biodiversity may decrease as wind farms age, requiring further study on potential adverse impacts.

Keywords:

Abundance Anthropogenic disturbance Biomass Fish

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Area of Science:

Marine Ecology
Renewable Energy Impacts
Biodiversity Assessment

Background:

Rapid expansion of offshore wind energy in European waters.
Wind farms introduce physical structures and alter environmental conditions (e.g., electromagnetic fields, noise).
Incomplete understanding of their effects on marine biodiversity.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize data from 14 case studies on marine biodiversity within offshore wind farms.
To compare species abundance and biomass between wind farm sites and control sites.
To investigate factors influencing biodiversity changes around wind farms.

Main Methods:

Meta-analysis of 14 case studies in the northeastern Atlantic (North, Irish, Baltic seas).
Aggregation of species-level data (abundance, biomass) across the food chain.

Marine ecosystems

Comparison of variables between wind farm areas and adjacent control sites.

Main Results:

Species occurred in higher quantities within wind farm areas compared to control sites.
Positive effects were more pronounced in newer wind farms, diminishing over time.
Polychaetes, echinoderms, and demersal fish showed increased abundance in wind farm areas.

Conclusions:

Offshore wind farms can act as artificial reefs, enhancing local biodiversity by providing shelter and food.
Wind farms may facilitate biodiversity spillover effects to surrounding areas.
Further research is needed to understand and mitigate adverse impacts while maximizing positive biodiversity contributions.