Skip to main content

Effects of the alpha ventus offshore test site on distribution patterns, behaviour and flight heights of seabirds

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Ecological Research at the Offshore Windfarm alpha ventus

Abstract

The North Sea and its adjacent waters are an area of world-wide importance for seabirds. With regard to the establishment of offshore windfarms, it becomes necessary to investigate the possible effects of these installations. In this project, distribution patterns of seabirds were determined and detailed observations were made on the behaviour and flight heights of individual birds in and around the alpha ventus windfarm area. Data was used from the combined database on seabird abundance and distribution in order to make predictions and draw conclusions about selected seabird species in relation to alpha ventus. A recently developed digital method for aerial surveys was also tested in the course of this project.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature

  • Bates D, Maechler M, Bolker B (2011). Package “lme4” for the R software: Linear mixed-effects models using S4 classes. Available: http://lme4.r-forge.rproject. org/.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camphuysen CJ & Garthe S (2004). Recording foraging seabirds at sea: standardised recording and coding of foraging behaviour and multi-species foraging associations. Atlantic Seabirds 6: 1–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diederichs A, Nehls G, Petersen IK (2002). Flugzeugzählungen zur großflächigen Erfassung von Seevögeln und marinen Säugern als Grundlage für Umweltverträglichkeitsstudien im Offshorebereich. Seevögel 23: 38–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dierschke V & Garthe S (2006). Literature review of offshore windfarms with regards to seabirds. In: Zuccho C, Wende W, Merck T, Köchling I, Köppel J (eds): Ecological research on offshore windfarms: international exchange of experience. Part B: Literature review of ecological impacts: pp. 131–198. BfN-Skripten 186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faraway JJ (2006). Extending the Linear Model with R: Generalized Linear Mixed Effects and Nonparametric Regression Models. Boca Raton, Chapman and Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garthe S, Hüppop O, Weichler T (2002). Anleitung zur Erfassung von Seevögeln auf See von Schiffen. Seevögel 23: 47–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garthe S, Dierschke V, Weichler T, Schwemmer P (2004). Rast­vogel­vorkommen und Offshore-Windkraftnutzung: Analyse des Konflikt­potenzials für die deutsche Nord- und Ostsee. Abschlussbericht des Teilprojektes 5 im Rahmen des Verbundvorhabens ″Marine Warmblüter in Nord- und Ostsee: Grundlagen zur Bewertung von Windkraftanlagen im Offshorebereich (MINOS)

    Google Scholar 

  • Garthe S, Sonntag N, Schwemmer P, Dierschke V (2007). Estimation of seabird numbers in the German North Sea throughout the annual cycle and their biogeographic importance. Vogelwelt 128: 163–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markones N & Garthe S (2010). Ermittlung von artspezifischen Korrekturfaktoren für fluggestützte Seevogelerfassungen als Grundlage für Bestandsberechnungen von Seevögeln im Rahmen des Monitorings in der deutschen Ausschließlichen Wirtschaftszone von Nord- und Ostsee. Endbericht für das Bundesamt für Naturschutz.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendel B, Sonntag N, Wahl J, Schwemmer P, Dries H, Guse N, Müller S, Garthe S (2008). Profiles of seabirds and waterbirds of the German North and Baltic Seas. Distribution, ecology and sensitivities to human activities within the marine environment. Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt 59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noer H, Christensen TK, Clausager I, Petersen IK (2000). Effects on birds of an offshore wind park at Horns Rev: Environmental impact assessment. NERI Report 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen IK & Fox AD (2007). Changes in bird habitat utilisation around the Horns Rev 1 offshore windfarm, with particular emphasis on Common Scoter. NERI Report, commissioned by Vattenfall A/S, DK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen IK, Fox AD, Kahlert J (2008). Waterbird distribution in and around the Nysted offshore windfarm, 2007. NERI Report, commissioned by DONG Energy, DK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pihl S & Frikke J (1992). Counting birds from aeroplane. In: Komdeur J, Bertelsen J, Cracknell G (eds): Manual for Aeroplane and Ship Survey of Waterfowl and Seabirds. IWRB Special Publication 19: 8–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2012). R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwemmer P, Mendel B, Sonntag N, Dierschke V, Garthe S (2011). Effects of ship traffic on seabirds in offshore waters: implications for marine conservation and spatial planning. Ecological Applications 21: 1851–1860.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skov H, Durinck J, Leopold MF, Tasker ML (1995). Important Bird Areas for seabirds in the North Sea. BirdLife International, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tasker ML, Hope Jones P, Dixon T, Blake BF (1984). Counting seabirds at sea from ships: a review of methods employed and a suggestion for a standardized approach. Auk 101: 567–577.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mendel, B., Kotzerka, J., Sommerfeld, J., Schwemmer, H., Sonntag, N., Garthe, S. (2014). Effects of the alpha ventus offshore test site on distribution patterns, behaviour and flight heights of seabirds. In: Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, ., Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, . (eds) Ecological Research at the Offshore Windfarm alpha ventus. Springer Spektrum, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-02462-8_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics