An offshore wind farm in China has become a haven for oysters, barnacles and more, study finds
A wind farm off the coast of China appears to boost fish populations and support oyster and barnacle colonies, according to new research.
Offshore wind farms may do more than just boost renewable energy: they may support marine ecosystems, too. This is the takeaway New study Conducted in China. The researchers found that wind turbines provided support for oyster and barnacle colonies, and that fish species and biomass were more abundant near the turbines than in an area without the machines.
The study flies in the face of frequent criticism of offshore wind farms, which say they harm marine life and may damage the seafloor. Although China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, it is a global leader in building renewable energy, including offshore wind projects. She has Largest wind power capacity From which country plans to build the largest wind turbines in the world.
Located in China’s northern Yellow Sea, the wind farm has given rise to a so-called benthic ecosystem — a system dominated by seafloor organisms — that did not exist in a similar area nearby that did not have turbines. Researchers believe that the turbine’s rough surfaces provide an ideal habitat for such creatures.
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These organisms were able to grow and thrive in and around turbines, and predatory fish followed the food, enhancing the ecosystem’s overall diversity and stability, said James Tweedley, a senior lecturer at Murdoch University in Australia and a co-author of the study, in a recent study. statement.
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