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AuthorKregting, Louise
AuthorElsaesser, Bjoern
AuthorKennedy, Robert
AuthorSmyth, David
AuthorO'Carroll, Jack
AuthorSavidge, Graham
Available date2021-09-01T10:02:41Z
Publication Date2016
Publication NamePLoS ONE
ResourceScopus
URIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161279
URIhttp://hdl.handle.net/10576/22348
AbstractArrays of tidal energy converters have the potential to provide clean renewable energy for future generations. Benthic communities may, however, be affected by changes in current speeds resulting from arrays of tidal converters located in areas characterised by strong currents. Current speed, together with bottom type and depth, strongly influence benthic community distributions; however the interaction of these factors in controlling benthic dynamics in high energy environments is poorly understood. The Strangford Lough Narrows, the location of SeaGen, the world's first single full-scale, grid-compliant tidal energy extractor, is characterised by spatially heterogenous high current flows. A hydrodynamic model was used to select a range of benthic community study sites that had median flow velocities between 1.5-2.4 m/s in a depth range of 25-30 m. 25 sites were sampled for macrobenthic community structure using drop down video survey to test the sensitivity of the distribution of benthic communities to changes in the flow field. A diverse range of species were recorded which were consistent with those for high current flow environments and corresponding to very tide-swept faunal communities in the EUNIS classification. However, over the velocity range investigated, no changes in benthic communities were observed. This suggested that the high physical disturbance associated with the high current flows in the Strangford Narrows reflected the opportunistic nature of the benthic species present with individuals being continuously and randomly affected by turbulent forces and physical damage. It is concluded that during operation, the removal of energy by marine tidal energy arrays in the far-field is unlikely to have a significant effect on benthic communities in high flow environments. The results are of major significance to developers and regulators in the tidal energy industry when considering the environmental impacts for site licences. 2016 Kregting et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
SponsorThe work was funded by through a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) funded project (TS10023231/1901), awarded to Graham Savidge and UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council funding agreement (grant number EP/J010065/1), awarded to Bjoern Elsaesser. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The work was funded by through a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) funded project (TS10023231/1901), awarded to Graham Savidge and UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council funding agreement (grant number EP/J010065/1), awarded to Bjoern Elsaesser.
Languageen
PublisherPublic Library of Science
Subjectbenthos
community structure
environmental impact
flow rate
hydrodynamics
model
nonhuman
tidal power
videorecording
animal
biodiversity
biota
ecosystem
environment
environmental monitoring
image processing
Northern Ireland
physiology
renewable energy
sediment
Animals
Biodiversity
Biota
Ecosystem
Environment
Environmental Monitoring
Geologic Sediments
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Northern Ireland
Renewable Energy
Video Recording
TitleDo changes in current flow as a result of arrays of tidal turbines have an effect on benthic communities?
TypeArticle
Issue Number8
Volume Number11
dc.accessType Open Access


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