Impacts of offshore wind farms in the English Channel on larval dispersal and connectivity of benthic species using numerical modeling
Résumé
This study examines the potential local and regional environmental impacts of Offshore Wind Farms (OWFs) in the extended Bay of Seine, focusing on their role as artificial habitats for benthopelagic species and the formation of reef ecosystems. We explore how OWFs, under met-oceanic conditions, may influence larval dispersal through hydrodynamic and reef effects. The dispersal of both native species (such as mussels and European green crabs) and invasive species (e.g., Japanese oysters and Asian shore crabs) is simulated using a coupled physical-biological numerical model. It is observed that wind farms serve as relay points for species, facilitating connectivity between the farms and the shores of the extended Bay of Seine. Larval dispersal from the wind farms shows connectivity not only between the farms themselves but also between the farms and the shores of the extended Seine Bay, with approximately 7.44
