Identifying the effects of offshore wind farm noise on the plankton food web

Offshore Wind Farms (OWF) offer a low-CO₂ emission alternative to fossil fuels. However, they can still be the source of anthropogenic pollution by generating noise that impacts marine life. Noise emitted by OWF is characterized by low frequencies at a high enough noise level that can affect marine mammals and fishes. To date there is a large knowledge gap concerning the effects of OWF noise on plankton communities. To better understand how plankton responds when they are exposed to OWF noise, an in situ mesocosm experiment was performed in summer 2024 in the Bay of Hopavågen, in Norway. During this experiment a recording from an OWF was broadcasted underwater for 18 days. Three mesocosms were placed in situ next to the speaker and received an average noise level of 97 dB re: 1 μPa over 100-2000 Hz, while three control mesocosms were placed further away in a part of the bay acoustically isolated from the noise treatment, where they only experienced ambient noise of 70-80 dB. During the experiment, plankton communities and abiotic variables were closely monitored. Specifically, virus, bacteria, phytoplankton, proto- and metazooplankton communities as well as nutrients were sampled every second day. Concurrently, temperature, salinity, light, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll-a concentrations were monitored in each mesocosm using automated sensors. The abiotic variables were identical between the control and noise treatments, however differences in phytoplankton pigment concentrations and zooplankton abundance indicated that the OWF noise affected the plankton food web.

Presentation Preference: Oral

Primary Presenter: Justine Courboulès, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (justine.courboules@hotmail.fr)

Authors:

Justine Courboulès, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondhjem Biological Station, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway  (justine.courboules@hotmail.fr)

Nicole Aberle, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondhjem Biological Station, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway and Institute of Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Science (IMF), Hamburg University, Germany  (nicole.aberle-malzahn@ntnu.no)

Tanguy Soulié, MARBEC (MARine Biodiversity, Exploitation, and Conservation), Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France  (tanguy.soulie@gmail.com)

Thale Styrmoe Hansen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondhjem Biological Station, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway  (thale.s.hansen@ntnu.no)

Line Kvam Bolsø, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondhjem Biological Station, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway  (linekbo@stud.ntnu.no)

Giorgia Dallan, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondhjem Biological Station, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway  (giorgia.dallan@gmail.com)

Zoé Eglaine, MARBEC (MARine Biodiversity, Exploitation, and Conservation), Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France  (zoe.eglaine@gmail.com)

Jose González, Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo (CIM-UVIGO), Estación de Ciencias Mariñas de Toralla (ECIMAT), Vigo, Spain  (josegonzalez@uvigo.gal)

Saskia Kühn, Coastal Ecology, Research and Technology Centre West Coast (FTZ), Kiel University (CAU), Büsum, Germany  (kuehn@ftz-west.uni-kiel.de)

Maria López-Haslett, Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Spain  (marialhaslett@gmail.com)

Iordanis Magiopoulos, Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Greece  (iordanis@hcmr.gr)

Sebastien Mas, MEDIMEER (MEDIterranean platform for Marine Ecosystems Experimental Research), OSU OREME, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, IRD, INRAE, Sète, France  (sebastien.mas1@umontpellier.fr)

Behzad Mostajir, MARBEC (MARine Biodiversity, Exploitation, and Conservation), Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France  (behzad.mostajir@umontpellier.fr)

David Parin, MEDIMEER (MEDIterranean platform for Marine Ecosystems Experimental Research), OSU OREME, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, IRD, INRAE, Sète, France  (david.parin@umontpellier.fr)

Clara Périssé, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondhjem Biological Station, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway  (perisseclara11@gmail.com)

Sidonie Rousseau, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway  (sidonie.rousseau@ntnu.no)

Pablo Serret, Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Spain  (pserret@uvigo.gal)

Maria Stockenreiter, Department Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Gemany  (stockenreiter@biologie.uni-muenchen.de)

Francesca Vidussi, MARBEC (MARine Biodiversity, Exploitation, and Conservation), Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France  (francesca.vidussi@cnrs.fr)

Fabio Viotti, Coastal Ecology, Research and Technology Centre West Coast (FTZ), Kiel University (CAU), Büsum, Germany  (fabio.viotti@imbrsea.eu)

Kang Nian Yap, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway  (kang.n.yap@ntnu.no)

Ana Širović, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondhjem Biological Station, Department of Biology, Trondheim, Norway  (ana.sirovic@ntnu.no)