IMPACTS: "Benthic Biodiversity on Old Platforms, Young Wind Farms, and Rocky Reefs" - Coolen et al., 2020
With the continued expansion of offshore wind energy, the question arises as to how technical infrastructures are embedded in marine ecosystems over the long term – and what role they play as artificial habitats for seabed biodiversity. The article “Benthic Biodiversity on Old Platforms, Young Wind Farms, and Rocky Reefs” by Coolen et al. (2020) offers a nuanced and comparative analysis of this issue and provides important insights for debates surrounding decommissioning obligations, habitat use, and marine conservation in the context of decommissioning.
The authors examine benthic communities across three different types of structures: decommissioned oil and gas platforms, newly constructed offshore wind farms, and natural rocky reefs. Their findings show that artificial structures can, over time, develop into highly diverse habitats that, in terms of species composition, functional diversity, and ecological roles, can be partially comparable to natural habitats. Older installations in particular exhibit high habitat complexity and a high density of both sessile and mobile organisms.
By consistently linking long-term ecological observations with habitat typology analyses, the study calls for a reassessment of the ecological value of technogenic structures in the sea. Coolen et al. argue that decommissioning decisions should not be made solely from technical or regulatory standpoints, but must incorporate biodiversity-related criteria as a core component of decision-making processes. The article thus provides a scientifically grounded foundation for conservation-oriented decommissioning strategies in the North Sea and beyond.