The objectives of the DUNES project are on the one hand to understand the sedimentary and ecosystem dynamics of underwater dunes, and on the other hand to provide technology developers and industrialists in the ORE sector with complementary knowledge and approaches to work in environments with hydraulic dunes. The expected results are first of all to have a better knowledge of the physical processes and the natural functioning of hydraulic dunes, to create a free access GIS dedicated to dune fields and sandbanks, to characterize on a fine scale of the structure of food webs in dunes to understand the functioning of these particular systems, and finally to establish methodological recommendations regarding the evaluation of anthropogenic impacts on dune ecosystems.

This paper presents an open source framework for modeling current and future ecological niches of marine species

Synthesis of existing data for the modeling work to follow (modeling in the deliverables of lot 3)

The consequences of climate change for marine organisms are now well-known, and include metabolism and behavior modification, distribution area shifts and changes in the community. In the Bay of Biscay, the potential environmental niches of subtropical non-indigenous species (NIS) are projected to expand as a response to sea temperature rise by the mid-century under the RCP8.5 climate change scenario. In this context, this study aims to project the combined effects of changes in indigenous species distribution and metabolism and NIS arrivals on the functioning of the Bay of Biscay trophic network. To do this, we created six different Ecopath food web models: a “current situation” trophic model (2007–2016) and five “future” trophic models. The latter five models included various NIS biomass combinations to reflect different potential scenarios of NIS arrivals. For each model, eight Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) indices were calculated, describing the properties of the food web resulting from the sum of interactions between organisms. Our results illustrate that rising temperature increases the quantity of energy passing through the system due to increased productivity. A decrease in the biomass of some trophic groups due to the reduction of their potential environmental niches also leads to changes in the structure of the trophic network. The arrival of NIS is projected to change the fate of organic matter within the ecosystem, with higher cycling, relative ascendency, and a chain-like food web. It could also cause new trophic interactions that could lead to competition and thus modify the food-web structure, with lower omnivory and higher detritivory. The combined impacts (increasing temperatures and NIS arrivals) could lower the resilience and resistance of the system.

This report studies the effect of the cumulative effects of climate change and the reef effect induced by the implementation of the Courseulles sur mer wind farm on the emergent properties of the ecosystem, as well as the sensitivity of the ENA to a cumulative impact.

Report describing the methodology and results of the simulations

The objective of the TROPHIK project was to model the role of offshore wind turbines and other anthropogenic activities in modifying the functioning of thefood webs of the Bay of Seine by taking climate change into account. TROPHIK has initiated a methodology to move from the sectoral vision of environmental impact studies to a functional and holistic approach. The analysis of the sensitivity of the functioning of the food web to the development of offshore wind farms represents a solid basis for recommending new areas of implantation. This approach will be completed within the framework of APPEAL and WINDSERV by integrating the societal and economic environment as well as biogeochemical forcings

This study is a numerical experiment to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a set of ecosystem indicators, including ANS, to fishing pressure.

The objective of the ANODE project was to quantify the chemical compounds emitted by the galvanic anodes of ORE structures and the risk associated with their dispersion in the marine environment. By combining ecotoxicological expertise and hydrodynamic modelling, the ANODE project has determined that there is no risk associated with most of the elements making up galvanic anodes, namely zinc, iron, copper and cadmium. On the other hand, concerning aluminium, additional experiments are necessary to conclude. The two currently available Predicted No-Effect Concentrations (PNECs) do not seem suitable for this assessment. These thresholds must therefore be refined and include data from in situ measurements in order to be able to estimate the possible risk associated with aluminium releases.

This document presents an analysis of the isotopic ratios of organisms sampled on the site of the future Windfarm.