Natural History of an Arctic Oil Field (eBook)

Development and the Biota

Stephen R. Johnson, Joe C. Truett (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF | EPUB

2000 | 1. Auflage
422 Seiten
Elsevier Science (Verlag)
978-0-08-051241-9 (ISBN)

Infos

In spite of the harsh conditions that characterize the Arctic, it is a surprisingly fragile ecosystem. The exploration for oil in the Arctic over the past 30 years has had profound effects on the plants and animals that inhabit this frozen clime. The Natural History of an Arctic Oil Field synthesizes decades of research on these myriad impacts. Specialists with years of field experience have contributed to this volume to create the first widely available synopsis of the ecology and wildlife biology of animals and plants living in close association with an actively producing oil field.


* First widely available synthesis of arctic oil field ecology and wildlife biology
* Concise yet readable treatment of a diverse polar ecosystem
* Useful for land managers, policy makers as well as ecologists, and population biologists
* Chapters authored by recognized authorities and contributions are peer-reviewed for accuracy and scientific rigor
* Illustrations attractively designed to enhance comprehension

Inhalt

Front Cover 1
The Natural History of an Arctic Oil Field 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
Contributors 12
Foreword 14
Preface 16
PART I: Introduction to Arctic Ecosystems???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 18
Chapter 1. Introduction???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 20
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 20
Physical Environment?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 22
Wildlife, Fish, and Habitats 23
Anthropogenic Changes???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 25
The Investigative Focus???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 27
References?????????????????????????????????? 27
Chapter 2. North Slope Oil Field Development?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 32
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 32
The History of North Slope Oil Exploration and Development?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 38
The Nature of Oil Development???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 39
Identifying and Monitoring Environmental Impacts?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 46
Mitigating Environmental Impacts?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 48
Conclusions???????????????????????????????????? 51
References?????????????????????????????????? 53
Chapter 3. Vegetative Responses to Disturbance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 56
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 56
Exploration Sites (1940-1970)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 61
Exploration Sites (1970-1990)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 62
Exploration Sites (1990s)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 63
Winter Haul Roads???????????????????????????????????????????????? 64
Production Pads and Roads???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 66
Dust Fallout from Roads???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 67
Gravel Spills on Tundra???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 67
Snow Stockpiles???????????????????????????????????????????? 68
Seeded and Fertilized Sites???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 68
Nutrients from Wastewater???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 69
Impoundments?????????????????????????????????????? 78
Buried Cable Trenches???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 79
Oil Spills?????????????????????????????????? 79
Brine Spills?????????????????????????????????????? 81
Conclusions???????????????????????????????????? 81
Epilogue?????????????????????????????? 82
References?????????????????????????????????? 83
PART II: Mammals of an Arctic Oil Field???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 86
Chapter 4. Caribou?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 88
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 88
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 89
Population Influences in the Oil-Field Region???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 95
Responses to Human Activity and Habitat Change?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 99
Can Caribou Adapt to Environmental Change??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 106
References?????????????????????????????????? 109
Chapter 5. Caribou and Oil Fields???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 114
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 114
Caribou Use of the Oil Fields???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 116
Implications for Impacts of Oil Development???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 129
References?????????????????????????????????? 134
Chapter 6. Grizzly Bear???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 138
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 138
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 143
Habitat Use and Food Habits???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 145
Denning Ecology???????????????????????????????????????????? 150
Population Dynamics???????????????????????????????????????????????????? 155
Discussion?????????????????????????????????? 159
References?????????????????????????????????? 162
Chapter 7. Polar Bear???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 166
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 166
Distribution and Movement???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 170
Maternal Denning?????????????????????????????????????????????? 175
Population Status???????????????????????????????????????????????? 179
Research and Management Challenges?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 182
Conservation Issues???????????????????????????????????????????????????? 184
Conclusions???????????????????????????????????? 186
References?????????????????????????????????? 187
Chapter 8. Arctic Fox???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 192
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 192
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 194
Population Influences and Limits in the Region?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 200
Responses to Development?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 204
Management Issues???????????????????????????????????????????????? 205
References?????????????????????????????????? 206
PART III: Birds of an Arctic Oil Field?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 212
Chapter 9. Pacific Loon???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 214
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 214
Distribution, Abundance, and Productivity 215
Population Influences???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 216
Responses to Habitat Change and Human Activity?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 222
References?????????????????????????????????? 226
Chapter 10. Tundra Swans?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 230
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 230
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 232
Nesting Success and Productivity?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 239
Habitat Use???????????????????????????????????? 241
Diet?????????????????????? 245
Environmental Influences on Swan Populations?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 246
Conclusions???????????????????????????????????? 251
References?????????????????????????????????? 252
Chapter 11. Black Brant???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 256
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 256
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 258
Population Influences in the Oil-Field Region???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 261
Responses to Habitat Change and Human Activity?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 264
References?????????????????????????????????? 265
Chapter 12. Lesser Snow Goose???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 268
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 268
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 270
Population Influences in the Oil-Field Region???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 280
Implications of Migration???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 287
Conclusions???????????????????????????????????? 289
References?????????????????????????????????? 289
Chapter 13. Pacific Eider???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 294
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 294
Regional Distribution and Nesting???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 295
Migration???????????????????????????????? 301
Population Influences in the Oil-Field Region???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 302
Population Influences Elsewhere???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 305
Conclusions???????????????????????????????????? 306
References?????????????????????????????????? 307
Chapter 14. Shorebirds?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 312
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 312
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 315
Population Influences in the Oil-Field Region???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 320
Responses to Habitat Change and Human Activity?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 327
References?????????????????????????????????? 334
PART IV: Marine and Freshwater Life???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 340
Chapter 15. Freshwater Invertebrates: Their Regulation and Importance to Vertebrates?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 342
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 342
Habitat???????????????????????????? 344
The Invertebrate Fauna?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 345
Regulation of Invertebrate Communities?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 351
Influences of Development???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 354
References?????????????????????????????????? 360
Chapter 16. Freshwater Fishes in the Arctic Oil-Field Region and Coastal Plain of Alaska?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 364
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 365
Freshwater Habitats and Their Dominant Fishes???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 365
Ninespine Stickleback???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 372
Arctic Grayling???????????????????????????????????????????? 375
Least Cisco???????????????????????????????????? 377
Broad Whitefish???????????????????????????????????????????? 380
Round Whitefish???????????????????????????????????????????? 381
Conclusions???????????????????????????????????? 382
References?????????????????????????????????? 383
Chapter 17. Anadromous and Amphidromous Fishes?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 386
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 386
Distribution and Abundance?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 390
Habitat and Trophic Ecology???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 395
Responses to Development?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 398
References?????????????????????????????????? 402
Chapter 18. The Benthic Faunal Assemblage of the Boulder Patch Kelp Community???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 408
Introduction?????????????????????????????????????? 409
Study Area?????????????????????????????????? 410
Methods???????????????????????????? 412
Results???????????????????????????? 414
Discussion?????????????????????????????????? 423
Management Implications???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 434
References?????????????????????????????????? 435
PART V: Synthesis???????????????????????????????????????????????? 438
Chapter 19. Synthesis???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 440
Index???????????????????????? 448

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 9.6.2000
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Kinder- / Jugendbuch ► Sachbücher
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Ökologie / Naturschutz
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Zoologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geografie / Kartografie
• Themenwelt: Technik ► Elektrotechnik / Energietechnik
• Themenwelt: Technik ► Umwelttechnik / Biotechnologie
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft
• Themenwelt: Weitere Fachgebiete ► Land- / Forstwirtschaft / Fischerei
• ISBN-10: 0-08-051241-0 / 0080512410
• ISBN-13: 978-0-08-051241-9 / 9780080512419