Understanding risks to non-breeding seabirds from offshore wind farms

了解海上风电场对非繁殖海鸟的风险

• 批准号: 2887914
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Liverpool
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2887914
• 关键词: Understanding; risks; non; breeding; seabirds

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.

由于当前的能源危机和净零目标的背景，英国和苏格兰政府致力于快速发展大规模海上风能（OWF）。但是，由于了解其对受保护的海鸟种群的影响不足，OWF部署以必要的尺度和速度达到目标的速度受到阻碍。在繁殖季节，客观性的觅食行为以及与普通的Guillemots和razorbills（Auks）的OWF的潜在相互作用相对较好。但是，我们对他们的繁殖后行为的了解远不止于此，尤其是在换羽和冬季。然而，这些时期既具有高自然脆弱性和与OWF的潜在相互作用的时期。这种批判性知识差距限制了我们对OWF开发的潜在影响的理解，并对同意过程产生了后果。通过与利益相关者直接合作，该项目旨在填补这些空白，以直接通过这些目标为OWF的计划和许可提供信息：1。使用羽毛和猎物鱼类的稳定同位素特征来探索早期冬季饮食的组成和变化。 2。我们对Auks在冬季初期追踪的觅食策略和策略的觅食策略和策略发展。 3。通过开发和应用基于个体的模型来评估OWFS对AUK的位移的影响。 Noveltyby结合了多种方法，该项目将为这一较少研究的年度循环提供独特的见解。在实验室，现场，分析和政策制定中工作，学生将建立一个圆形的技能组合。对全球能源安全问题的及时性响应，OWF扩展的时间表已经大大加速。以苏格兰政府为案件合作伙伴，该项目的产出将迅速吸收到决策中。完成后，该学生将立即在不断扩大的英国欧洲局在不足的人事短缺的情况下担任高技能角色。