1,720,994 research outputs found
Key Oceanographic Characteristics of Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris) Habitat in the Gulf of Genoa (Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean).
Full text linkCuvier’s beaked whale presence has been associated worldwide with continental slope and submarine canyons areas. In the Mediterranean Sea, a hot spot of the species presence has been identified in the Genoa Canyon area, located in the Gulf of Genova (Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean Sea). Within the framework of the NATO Marine Mammal Risk Mitigation Project, several research cruises have been conducted between 1999 and 2011 in the Ligurian Sea area. During these cruises depth profiles of temperature, salinity, sound velocity, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence and turbidity as a function of depth were collected using a Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) and auxiliary sensors installed on a Rosette frame. Concurrently, Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) presence was assessed through visual observations. The aim of this study was to investigate the environmental characteristics of a beaked whale habitat in the Genoa canyon area correlating beaked whale presence with the oceanographic variables. A Logistic Regression model was developed using the data collected during the oceanographic campaign carried out in summer 2002. Model accuracy was also evaluated in the same area based on the data collected 9 years later in summer 2011. The depth of the maximum dissolved oxygen (Depth Ox Max) turned out to be a significant predictor of beaked whale presence in the studied area. Higher presence probabilities of beaked whales were found associated to higher turbidities of deep-water layers in both the calibration and evaluation set. Results suggest dynamic predictors may act as proxy of macro-scale features that characterise beaked whale habitats. Particularly the depth the maximum oxygen concentration may be a tracer of the vertical exchanges of water masses (i.e., downwelling), transferring energy from the surface waters to the deep waters where beaked whales feed on their prey
VALUTAZIONE DI IMPATTO AMBIENTALE DELLE PROSPEZIONI GEOSISMICHE SOTTOMARINE - PARTE I: NORMATIVA E LINEE GUIDA DI RIFERIMENTO
No full textVALUTAZIONE DI IMPATTO AMBIENTALE DELLE PROSPEZIONI GEOSISMICHE SOTTOMARINE PARTE II: STIMA DEGLI IMPATTI ED EFFETTI SUGLI ORGANISMI.
No full textA Spatial Planning Approach To Coastal Management: The Case Of Marine Renewable Energy Installations
No full textBiological consequences of global warming: does sea surface temperature affect cetacean distribution in the Western Ligurian sea?
No full textStrategic Environmental Assessment Of Wave Energy Converters: A Review
No full textIn Europe, wave energy developments are increasing in both number and size. Even though, most wave devices are still at the prototype development stage, an increasing number are now approaching sufficient levels of development where more advanced projects are already operative, in particular in North Europe. Accordingly, there is a growing need to consider the environmental consequences and potential impacts of these renewables activities on the marine environment. This paper presents an overview of the state of art in Europe of the existing environmental impact studies on wave energy converters (WECs). A summary of the current WECs technology is also provided. Moreover, a comparison between the European and Italian legislation is reported. Then, the different identified environmental impacts by technologies and by life process (construction, operation and decommissioning) in the European seas is also described. This review represents a starting point to identify which are the main effects of WECs on marine and coastal environment. Possible future strategies to minimize such environmental impacts are provided. Finally, recommendations are given for future studies of environmental impact assessment of Marine Renewable Energy Installations MREIs in the perspective to enhance future deployments minimizing the associated impact
Strategic environmental assessment to evaluate WEC projects in the perspective of the environmental cost-benefit analysis
No full textCoastlines have particularly valuable renewable energy resources in the form of tides, currents, waves and offshore wind. Due to the environmental sensitivity of coastal environments, the selection of the most adequate location for these systems is a critical factor. Multicriteria analysis allows to consider a wide variety of key characteristics that may be converted into a numerical indexes of suitability for different Wave Energy Converter installations. The early incorporation of environmental issues, as requested by the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment procedure (Directive 2001/42/EC) would allow the selection of the best technologies and the identification of optimal sites for wave-farms. Copyright © 2011 by the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers (ISOPE
Marine renewables: Exploring the opportunity for combining wind and wave energy
Full text linkResource diversity is considered the key to manage the intrinsic variability of renewable energy sources and to
lower their system integration costs. The expected development of Marine Renewable Energy Installations is
likely to result in further transformation of coastal sea areas, already heavily impacted. In this perspective, the
combination of different renewables and their potential impact on the environment must be evaluated in the
context of the existing pressures. In this study the opportunity of co-locating offshore wind turbines and wave
energy converters and their environmental sustainability is evaluated through a quantitative Marine Spatial
Planning (MSP) approach
Habitat Modeling Of Cuvier’s Beaked Whale: Development of Predictive Tools for Assessing and Managing the Risks And the Impacts due to Sound Emissions.
No full textAssessing the environmental impacts of wave energy converters: determining appropriate reference site
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