Conference paper

Appeared in: Actes du Séminare Eolien et Biodiversité 2017

Editor list: Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO)

Publication year: 2018

Pages: 113-115

URL: https://eolien-biodiversite.com/programme-eolien-biodiversite/seminaire-eolien-et-biodiversite-2017/

Conference: Actes du Séminaire Eolien et Biodiversité,

Abstract: 

Several seabird species show marked avoidance behaviour to offshore wind farms (OFWs) and in the light of this new and strongly expanding industry, it is of highest interest to examine how the resulting habitat loss might affect their populations and how possible adverse effects can be avoided in marine spatial planning.

Red-throated Divers (Gavia stellata) wintering in European marine waters are amongst the most sensitive species to anthropogenic disturbances and known to show strong avoidance of OWFs. As the species is highly mobile, individuals are likely to encounter OWFs frequently during migration and wintering and are thus affected in several staging areas. For the conservation of this red-listed species it is crucial to understand how displacement effects relate to individual movements and winter home ranges.

Diver displacement from offshore wind farms in a main staging area in the German Bight, partly declared as SPA, was studied by large-scale digital aerial video surveys and satellite tracking of individuals caught at site. Specifically, the study aimed to relate displacement effects to diver home range sizes and how OWFs affect movement patterns (e.g. relocation distances) in detail. From tracking data home ranges are calculated using kernel density estimates for areas with and without OWFs and it is analysed whether an overlap with OWFs leads to changes in usage patterns.

Initial results from aerial surveys and individual movements indicate a large-scale displacement response of Red-throated Divers following a gradient of reduced densities extending 10 km. Although 95 % kernel home ranges frequently overlap with OWF-areas, also tracking data detailed investigations of individual tracks reveal clear avoidance of OWFs and suggest a change in movement patterns depending on the distance to the closest wind farm. Tracking data revealed large home ranges of several thousand square kilometre of Red-throated Divers in the German North Sea and though displacement effects of wind farms are rather large, they affect only part of individual home ranges.

Displacement effects from offshore wind farms are related to population development in the area and discussed in the context of species conservation and future OWF planning decisions. It is concluded that approaches to monitor wind farm effects should consider both large-scale movement patterns of mobile seabirds as well as large-scale effects from offshore wind farms. Understanding how displacement of windfarms may lead to impacts on populations of seabirds requires sound knowledge of individual behaviour.

Harvard Citation style: Nehls, G., Burger, C., Kleinschmidt, B., Quillfeldt, P., Heinänen, S., Morkunas, J., et al. (2018) From effects to impacts: Analysing displacement of Red-throated Divers in relation to their wintering home ranges, in Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO) (ed.) Actes du Séminare Eolien et Biodiversité 2017. Artigues-près-Bordeaux. pp. 113-115. https://eolien-biodiversite.com/programme-eolien-biodiversite/seminaire-eolien-et-biodiversite-2017/

APA Citation style: Nehls, G., Burger, C., Kleinschmidt, B., Quillfeldt, P., Heinänen, S., Morkunas, J., & Zydelis, R. (2018). From effects to impacts: Analysing displacement of Red-throated Divers in relation to their wintering home ranges. In Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO) (Ed.), Actes du Séminare Eolien et Biodiversité 2017. (pp. 113-115). https://eolien-biodiversite.com/programme-eolien-biodiversite/seminaire-eolien-et-biodiversite-2017/