As offshore wind development expands along the U.S. Atlantic Coast, understanding its potential effects on marine ecosystems is increasingly important. A newly published study in Scientific Reports, led by BRI scientist and postdoctoral research associate at the University of New Hampshire, Kim Lato, examines how offshore wind infrastructure may alter seafloor communities, marine food webs, and the movement of energy through marine ecosystems.
The study, Assessing potential impacts of offshore wind development on U.S. marine ecosystems using food web modeling, is the first publication from BRI's Projecting the Effects of Offshore Wind-Mediated Benthic Changes on U.S. Marine Ecosystems project, funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
Understanding Changes Beneath the Surface
Offshore wind turbine foundations and associated structures introduce hard surfaces into marine environments that are often dominated by soft sediments. These structures can function as artificial reefs, creating habitat for organisms such as mussels, barnacles, and other invertebrates. As these communities develop, they may alter how energy and nutrients move through the marine food web, potentially affecting fish and other marine species.
To investigate these changes, Lato and an international team of collaborators synthesized existing ecological data and developed food web models for three offshore wind development sites in the U.S. Atlantic. The models compared conditions before construction to observed (or projected) conditions approximately four years after construction, allowing researchers to explore potential changes in ecosystem structure, function, and stability.
Key Findings and Implications
The results suggest that offshore wind development may contribute to shifts toward more mature and stable marine food webs, although responses varied across study sites and ecological measures.
The study identified sediment-dwelling invertebrates as particularly important to food web dynamics across the modeled scenarios. Among organisms associated with turbine structures, bivalves such as mussels emerged as especially influential, highlighting their potential role in altering energy flows and interactions among marine species.
Researchers also identified significant gaps in existing ecological data, particularly concerning microorganisms and the processes that recycle organic matter and nutrients within marine food webs.
These findings provide a foundation for identifying research priorities and improving environmental monitoring as offshore wind development continues along the Atlantic Coast. The research provides a framework for investigating how offshore wind infrastructure may influence marine ecosystems and informing future conservation and management decisions.
