When it comes to renewable energy, wind farms have been somewhat controversial. Some argue against them as a source of noise pollution, others find them eye sores. Then there’s the issue of environmental impact, with wind farms posing a threat to birds and bats. Yet new research shows that offshore wind farms could be a haven for some aquatic species – particularly, grey and harbor seals.
Scientists have long know that underwater infrastructure – from bridges to oil platforms to shipwrecks – can act as artificial reefs, attracting creatures like barnacles, mussels, and crabs. But new research from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland is the first to show that the presence of offshore wind farms may alter the foraging behavior of marine mammals.
Researchers fitted approximately 200 grey and harbor seals living near offshore wind farms in England and Germany with GPS devices, then tracked their daily movements. Eleven of the seals paid regular visits to the wind farms, with some of the animals following a systematic grid pattern, spending concentrated time at each turbine. This suggests the seals made stops at each turbine to forage and feed.
Though only a small number of the tagged seals exhibited this behavior, researchers think they may be pioneers of sorts. Since the wind farms were fairly new, those seals may have been the quickest to adapt their feeding patterns to take advantage of the turbines’ bounty.
Despite prime foraging conditions, more research is still needed to evaluate the farms’ potential negative effects on seals – such as exposure to harmful noise pollution and dangerous run-ins with maintenance vehicles.
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Web Links
Offshore wind farms may be seal feeding grounds
Seals connect the dots to feed in offshore wind farms
Photo, posted August 6, 2008, courtesy of John Stratford via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, with script contribution from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.