Abstract
The construction of the a small wind farm in the southern North Sea has just been completed. Possible effects on harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) distribution and habitat use caused by the pile driving impulses emitted during the installation of the foundations for 12 offshore wind turbines (OWTs) were assessed by ship surveys, aerial surveys, and static acoustic monitoring (SAM). SAM data and sighting data revealed that during the pile driving activities for the construction of the transformer platform as well as for the first OWTs the presence of harbor porpoises decreased significantly. However, the number of porpoise detections by the SAM units increased during the pile driving activities toward the end of the construction period. Habituation, ecological parameters, and external effects are considered as potential reasons for this increased presence of harbor porpoises in the vicinity of the construction site. The cumulative acoustic energy received by the animals exposed to repeated pile driving i...
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