ECOLOGY: BIRD & ANIMAL SURVEYS
ECOLOGY AND ITS IMPORTANCE WITHIN THE WIND ENERGY INDUSTRY
Since our inception some 4 years ago we have been speaking to companies and individuals involved in the important work they do in the ecology area relevant to wind energy.
As Editor my own personal interest in the subject stems from managing Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in an earlier career.
We are therefore very pleased to introduce our Bird & Mammal feature and open this with an article from Baker Consultants one of the leaders in the field.
METHODS OF MONITORING UNDERWATER NOISE
HOW TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF THE MARINE STRATEGY FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE
The extensive offshore
developments that are planned to be installed over the next few years around UK coasts have raised concern over the “health” status of our seas. This has led governments at a local and European level to put in place new regulations to ensure that pollution introduced by these developments is monitored from the pre-construction stage throughout the development’s lifetime.
GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS One of the descriptors set out in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) as indicators of Good Environmental Status is the “Introduction of Energy (including noise) into the marine environment.”
The impact of noise on marine life is a factor of increasing concern because it can have significant impacts both in the short and long terms. Our detailed knowledge of the effects of sound on these species is limited and scientists agree that it is difficult to quantify them. So far, a precautionary approach is in place to ensure that no permanent harm is caused to species of concern whilst academics are looking into ways of assessing the extent of disturbance generated by anthropogenic noise sources. Particular focus is put into understanding the cumulative impact effects.
MSFD REQUIREMENTS
The MSFD requirements present challenges for developers. Germany has responded by imposing an absolute limit on noise production (160 dB re 1μPa) and it is possible that other member states will follow their lead. Such limits raise issues of how noise should be monitored and over what periods and protocols should be employed.
MONITORING
Boat-based monitoring is the current standard for recording underwater noise levels, but this method introduces noise into the environment and is costly. The employment of full spectrum autonomous acoustic recorders in monitoring and assessing renewables developments is a much more effective tool to monitor changes in ambient noise levels and the impact of the introduction of man-made noise.
ACOUSTIC RECORDERS
Autonomous acoustic recorders provide complete temporal coverage throughout all weather conditions, simultaneous recordings from different spatial locations, transparent evidence, and reduced field time.
Temporal extension allows times for construction to be identified based on in- situ measurements, instead of relying on generalisations for an area or time. Static recorders generate considerable amounts of high-quality transparent data that are useful as an objective record of monitoring efforts, which can be re-analysed for other purposes at later dates.
REGULAR FEATURE
We plan to make this a regular feature if we receive sufficient relevant editorial, so please get in touch if you would like to get involved.
The use of passive acoustic recorders makes it possible to collect data right from the initial stages of a project, providing information about the baseline ambient noise before a development is initiated. Without such a reference point, future measurements cannot be quantitatively assessed and the potential for biological effects cannot be determined.
The response of some animals to boat based surveys may be to stop vocalising or leave the area, so this method of obtaining acoustic data can give an incomplete understanding of the soundscape. At the opposite end, some animals may be attracted to vessels and therefore, one may overestimate the presence of certain marine mammal species during boat based surveys.
REMOTE ACOUSTIC RECORDERS Remote acoustic recorders are now extensively used in the terrestrial environment and are starting to provide more robust monitoring data to justify ecological decisions on developments. The marine environment is obviously more challenging but now subject to the same rigours from regulators. The issue of scoping the noise aspect of each development at every stage is not ever going to get easier, but the equipment and expertise available to do it cost-effectively is advancing.
Andrew Baker Managing Director Baker Consultants
www.bakerconsultants.co.uk
28
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116