Modelling the impact of tidal range energy on species communities
Modelling the impact of tidal range energy on species communities
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DOI：
10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105221
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发表时间：
2020-08-01
影响因子：
4.6
通讯作者：
Hill, Jon
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Baker, Amy L.;Craighead, Robert M.;Hill, Jon
潮汐能有潜力成为包括英国在内的许多国家能源生产的关键组成部分。然而，潮汐能系统的部署与潜在的环境影响有关，因为主要资源地点往往与敏感生物居住的独特生态系统相吻合。以往的研究一般集中在潮汐能方案的水动力影响上，即方案如何改变水流动力学和沉积输运过程。虽然这些努力是了解环境影响的关键，但将沉积物转化为动物变化并没有直接的步骤。物种分布模型提供了定量预测潮汐能开采某些可能影响的方法。塞文河是英国著名的潮汐能候选地区，拥有严格的生态保护法规。我们通过将流体动力学模型与物种分布模型联系起来，研究了拟议的塞文潮汐拦河坝对14个物种的影响。通过一个简单的食物网系统连接的物种的选择，我们将猎物物种的变化推断为各自的捕食者物种。我们发现，低营养水平的物种会受到拦河坝的不利影响，但高营养水平的生物在可能的可居住区域会增加。一旦认识到食物网的关系，这种栖息地面积的增加就会减少，但仍然是净正的。总体而言，所有14个物种都受到影响，其中大部分物种的分布面积增加，只有4种物种的分布面积减少。大规模的潮汐拦河坝可能对塞文河口的物种分布、食物网动态和食物可利用性产生不利和复杂的影响。本文概述的方法可以转移到全球潜在项目的评估和优化中，以帮助可持续地引入该技术。
Tidal energy has the potential to form a key component of the energy production in a number of countries, including the UK. Nonetheless, the deployment of tidal energy systems is associated with potential environmental impacts as prime resource sites often coincide with unique ecosystems inhabited by sensitive organisms. Previous studies have generally focused on the hydrodynamic impact of tidal energy schemes, i.e. how schemes alter the flow dynamics and sedimentary transport processes. Whilst these efforts are key in understanding environmental impacts, there is no straightforward step for translating sediment to faunal changes. Species distribution models offer methods to quantitatively predict certain possible impacts of tidal energy extraction. The River Severn is a distinguished candidate region for tidal energy in the UK featuring sites under stringent ecological protection regulations. We examine the impact of a proposed Severn tidal barrage on 14 species via the linking of hydrodynamic modelling to species distribution models. Through a selection of species that are linked via a simple food web system we extrapolate changes in prey species to the respective predator species. We show that species at lower trophic levels would be adversely affected by the barrage, but higher trophic level organisms increase in possible habitable area. Once food web relationships are acknowledged this increase in habitat area decreases, but is still net positive. Overall, all 14 species were affected, with most gaining in distribution area, and only four losing distribution area within the Severn Estuary. We conclude that a large-scale tidal barrage may have detrimental and complex impacts on species distribution, altering food web dynamics and altering food availability in the Severn Estuary. The methodology outlined herein can be transferred to the assessment and optimisation of prospective projects globally to aide in the sustainable introduction of the technology.