Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades
For many aquatic species, vision is important for detecting prey, predators, and conspecifics; however, the potential impacts of visual cues from offshore wind turbines have not been investigated in these crucial contexts. There is the possibility of visual cues, originating from moving wind turbine...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Fishes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/9/12/482 |
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| author | Benjamin J. Williamson Lonneke Goddijn-Murphy Jason McIlvenny Alan Youngson |
| author_facet | Benjamin J. Williamson Lonneke Goddijn-Murphy Jason McIlvenny Alan Youngson |
| author_sort | Benjamin J. Williamson |
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| description | For many aquatic species, vision is important for detecting prey, predators, and conspecifics; however, the potential impacts of visual cues from offshore wind turbines have not been investigated in these crucial contexts. There is the possibility of visual cues, originating from moving wind turbine blades, propagating through the air–water interface to impact visually sensitive species. Two classes of visual cues are possible: direct motion cues originating as light reflected from moving turbine blades and indirect cues resulting from an interruption of direct sunlight causing dynamic shadowing when the sun, blade, and receptor are aligned. In both cases, the propagation of cues across the air–water interface is governed by physical principles but modulated in potentially complex ways by the aspects of the local environment that vary with time. Evidence for the extent of the exposure of aquatic organisms to the visual cues arising from moving turbine blades and for the potential response of receptor organisms is sparse. This study considers the physics involved to support the formulation and testing of robust biological hypotheses. Marine migratory salmonid species are considered as an example species because their behaviour in the marine environment is relatively well documented. This study concludes that the aquatic receptor organisms present in the uppermost layer of the sea in the vicinity of wind turbines are potentially exposed to direct motion cues originating from moving turbine blades and also, when the sun elevation angle is greater than ca. 20°, to dynamic shadowing cues. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-382f00dbbaa64f92a4c15eaa3d19a35d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2410-3888 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Fishes |
| spelling | doaj-art-382f00dbbaa64f92a4c15eaa3d19a35d2024-12-27T14:25:54ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882024-11-0191248210.3390/fishes9120482Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine BladesBenjamin J. Williamson0Lonneke Goddijn-Murphy1Jason McIlvenny2Alan Youngson3Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands, Ormlie Road, Thurso KW14 7EE, UKEnvironmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands, Ormlie Road, Thurso KW14 7EE, UKEnvironmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands, Ormlie Road, Thurso KW14 7EE, UKEnvironmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands, Ormlie Road, Thurso KW14 7EE, UKFor many aquatic species, vision is important for detecting prey, predators, and conspecifics; however, the potential impacts of visual cues from offshore wind turbines have not been investigated in these crucial contexts. There is the possibility of visual cues, originating from moving wind turbine blades, propagating through the air–water interface to impact visually sensitive species. Two classes of visual cues are possible: direct motion cues originating as light reflected from moving turbine blades and indirect cues resulting from an interruption of direct sunlight causing dynamic shadowing when the sun, blade, and receptor are aligned. In both cases, the propagation of cues across the air–water interface is governed by physical principles but modulated in potentially complex ways by the aspects of the local environment that vary with time. Evidence for the extent of the exposure of aquatic organisms to the visual cues arising from moving turbine blades and for the potential response of receptor organisms is sparse. This study considers the physics involved to support the formulation and testing of robust biological hypotheses. Marine migratory salmonid species are considered as an example species because their behaviour in the marine environment is relatively well documented. This study concludes that the aquatic receptor organisms present in the uppermost layer of the sea in the vicinity of wind turbines are potentially exposed to direct motion cues originating from moving turbine blades and also, when the sun elevation angle is greater than ca. 20°, to dynamic shadowing cues.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/9/12/482environmental impact assessmentwind turbinedirect motion visual cuesdynamic shadow cuesmigratory salmonids |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin J. Williamson Lonneke Goddijn-Murphy Jason McIlvenny Alan Youngson Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades Fishes environmental impact assessment wind turbine direct motion visual cues dynamic shadow cues migratory salmonids |
| title | Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades |
| title_full | Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades |
| title_fullStr | Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades |
| title_short | Potential Exposure of Aquatic Organisms to Dynamic Visual Cues Originating from Aerial Wind Turbine Blades |
| title_sort | potential exposure of aquatic organisms to dynamic visual cues originating from aerial wind turbine blades |
| topic | environmental impact assessment wind turbine direct motion visual cues dynamic shadow cues migratory salmonids |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/9/12/482 |
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