Man-made earthquakes: Turbine-associated substrate-borne vibration and the effects on the common hermit crab

Burgess, Jordan, Breithaupt, Thomas, Clayton, Katharine A., Jones, Amber M., Al-Mudallal, Sophie and Mazik, Krysia (2026) Man-made earthquakes: Turbine-associated substrate-borne vibration and the effects on the common hermit crab. In, Popper, Arthur N., Sisneros, Joseph A., Lepper, Paul A. and Vigness-Raposa, Kathleen J. (eds.) The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life IV. Cham. Springer. (doi:10.1007/978-3-031-94229-7_28-1).

Abstract

The expansion of the offshore wind industry is essential to meet global targets for reducing carbon emissions. Offshore wind infrastructure is commonly installed by pile driving, which generates high levels of water-borne and substrate-borne vibrations, known to negatively impact fish, mammals, and some marine invertebrates. This laboratory study investigates the physiological responses of the common hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus, to levels of substrate-borne vibration likely to occur within the zone of influence of an active pile driver. Individuals were exposed to 10 ms−2 (peak-to-peak) for 3 hours using an experimental pile driver. Oxygen consumption, tissue glucose, lactate, and protein were assessed. Hermit crabs did not significantly respond to impulsive vibration in any measures tested, suggesting that they were not impacted by vibration at this level over a 3-hour period. Despite this, further work is required to determine the impact at larger vibration levels for an extended period, which would be more reflective of pile driving operations. This is particularly important for species that may not be so well-adapted to short-term stress, as well as those with commercial and ecological importance.

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Contributors

Author: Amber M. Jones

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