Effects of offshore windfarms on seafloor ecosystems

By the end of 2020 Belgium should acquire 13% of its energy from renewable resources. One option to reach this deadline has been the construction of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS). Currently, several offshore wind farms are already operational in the BPNS and more concession areas are granted for construction. By 2030, all Belgian offshore windfarms (OWFs) together should produce ~20% of Belgium's energy demand. A monitoring program was set up to identify the ecological effects of the presence of OWFs on the soft-sediment macrobenthos (organisms living in the sediment and larger than 1mm) and hyperbenthos (swimming organisms living just above the sediment and larger than 1mm). 

The permanent presence of introduced artificial structures such as wind turbines result in a modification of the habitat, by means of altered local environmental conditions (changes in hydrology, granulometry and food availability) and the associated macrofaunal communities, which is shown in both higher densities and biodiversity in close (<50 m) vicinity to certain types of wind turbine foundations. The study of hyperbenthos in the OWFs is however, still in its infancy.

In addition, these structures provide surface area for colonizing epifaunal communities, which could intensify these changes by influencing particle -and organic matter fluxes and local biodiversity. It is however expected that the spatial extent of these effects will depend on several factors such local conditions, turbine type and the turbine-specific epifaunal communities.

The student will sort and identify the macro- or hyperbenthic organisms from benthic samples until species level and possible changes in the environment will be evaluated using biotic (biomass, abundance, diversity on and around the turbines) and abiotic variables (sediment grain size, organic material, hydrodynamics).

Language requirements: 
English
Safety issues: 
samples are fixed on 4% formaldehyde-seawater solution. We take safety measures to prevent contact.
Accommodation possibilities : 
see website IMBRSea - UGent
Additional costs to be covered by the student: 
No
COVID-19 contingency plan: 
Data analysis to study long-term effects of OWF presence on macrobenthic communities
format: 
on-site