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Hyperbenthos in windfarms
Investigating the potential impacts of offshore windfarms on hyperbenthic communities: an underrepresented ecosystem component
Despite their important role in bentho-pelagic coupling, hyperbenthic communities are recently understudied within the Belgian part of the North sea. However, due to their analogy with macrobenthic communities in terms of distribution patterns and seafloor dependence (sediment type and food availability), it is expected that turbine-related habitat alterations will also affect this ecosystem component. It is proposed that the induced changes could create more favourable conditions for pelagic species and attract mobile species, resulting in richer hyperbenthic communities within offshore wind farms (OWFs). In addition, differences in local conditions and turbine type are also likely to influence the spatial extent of these effects.
Therefore, the aim of this study is to sample (environmental variables and hyperbenthos) within two OWFs (C-power, Belwind) and outside the OWFs to i) characterize hyperbenthic communities within these offshore areas with scarcer food supply and strong hydrodynamic conditions and ii) to assess potential impacts of wind turbines on these communities. The obtained insights will result in a more comprehensive view of wind turbine-related habitat alterations and their effects on benthic communities (macrobenthos and hyperbenthos).
At last, we would also like to sample at Norther (monopiles, operational end of summer 2019). This park is situated closer to the coastline and conditions are characterized by finer sediments, higher food availability and weaker bottom currents. By integrating this park within the study, reference samples can be used to assess whether these factors are indeed important to harbor richer communities and to validate the earlier described onshore-offshore gradient (onshore: Norther, intermediate: C-power, offshore: Belwind) in terms of distribution (abundances and diversity). In addition, potential short-term (T1) effects of wind turbines can also be described.