Understanding risks to non-breeding seabirds from offshore wind farms

背景面对当前的能源危机和净零目标，英国和苏格兰政府致力于大规模海上风电场（OWF）的快速发展。然而，OWF部署在必要的规模和速度，以满足目标是阻碍了他们对受保护的海鸟种群的影响的了解不足。研究了海鸠和剃刀嘴海雀在繁殖季节的觅食行为以及与OWF的潜在相互作用。然而，我们对它们繁殖后的行为知之甚少，特别是在换羽和初冬期间。然而，这些时期既有高度的自然脆弱性，也有可能与OWF发生相互作用。这一关键的知识差距限制了我们对OWF开发潜在影响的理解，并对同意过程产生影响。通过直接与利益相关者合作，该项目旨在填补这些差距，通过以下目标直接为OWF的规划和许可提供信息：1.利用羽毛和猎物鱼类的稳定同位素特征来探索海雀在初冬期间饮食的组成和变化。2.通过跟踪，发展我们对海雀在初冬觅食策略和战术的理解。3.通过开发和应用基于个体的模型，评估OWF对海雀的影响。新颖性通过结合不同的方法，该项目将提供独特的见解，这一罕见的研究，但关键阶段的年度周期。在实验室，现场，分析和政策制定工作，学生将建立一个全面的技能组合。及时性为了应对全球能源安全问题，OWF扩展的时间表已经大大加快。与苏格兰政府作为合作伙伴，该项目的产出将迅速纳入决策。完成后，学生将立即在不断扩大的英国OWF部门的高技能角色中就业，该部门存在明显的人员短缺。

BackgroundFaced with the current energy crisis and Net Zero targets, the UK and Scottish governments are committed to rapid developments of large-scale offshore windfarms (OWF). However, OWF deployment at the necessary scales and pace to meet targets is hindered by inadequate understanding of their impact on protected seabird populations. ObjectivesThe foraging behaviour and potential interaction with OWFs of common guillemots and razorbills (auks) are relatively well-studied during the breeding season. However, we know far less about their post-breeding behaviour, particularly during the moult and early winter periods. Yet these are periods of both high natural vulnerability and potential interactions with OWFs. This critical knowledge gap limits our understanding of the potential impact of OWF development, with consequences for the consenting process.By working directly with stakeholders this project seeks to fill these gaps to directly inform planning and licensing of OWF via these objectives:1. Use stable isotope signatures of feathers and prey fish species to explore composition and variation in diet of auks during early winter. 2. Develop our understanding of foraging strategies and tactics used by auks during early winter from tracking. 3. Evaluate the impacts of displacement by OWFs on auks via development and application of an individual-based model. NoveltyBy combining diverse approaches this project will provide unique insights into this rarely-studied yet critical phase of the annual cycle. Working in the lab, field, analysis and in policy development, the student will build a rounded skills portfolio. TimelinessIn response to global energy security concerns, timelines for OWF expansion have been dramatically accelerated. With Scottish Government as a CASE partner, this project's outputs will be rapidly assimilated into decision making. Upon completion the student will be immediately employable in high-skill roles in the expanding UK OWF sector where there is a notable personnel shortage.