Now Reading: Robot finds 121 marine species beneath Scottish wind turbines
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Robot finds 121 marine species beneath Scottish wind turbines
A robotic submersible has discovered 121 different marine species living beneath the five floating wind turbines of the Hywind Scotland Pilot Park, 25 km east of Peterhead. The survey, published in the…
The Story in Brief
A robotic submersible has discovered 121 different marine species living beneath the five floating wind turbines of the Hywind Scotland Pilot Park, 25 km east of Peterhead. The survey, published in the European Academy of Wind Energy, used a high-definition camera on a work-class ROV to inspect steel structures, mooring lines, suction anchors and cables down to 80 metres depth. The footage revealed 48 types of attached organisms and 73 mobile animals, including sea stars, urchins, crabs, lobsters, squid, octopuses, rays and three possible young deep-water coral colonies. The seabed is mostly sand and gravel, making the artificial structures a rare hard surface for colonisation.
The Indian Opinion
Environmentalists often claim offshore wind farms disrupt marine ecosystems, but this survey shows steel structures can attract rich biodiversity. The real test is whether these artificial habitats support native species long-term without harming surrounding soft seabed communities. The researchers could not confirm deep-water coral, so a key question remains: will the corals survive or merely colonise temporarily until maintenance removes them?
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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