scholarly journals Songbird community response to regeneration of reclaimed wellsites in the boreal forest of Alberta

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott J. Wilson ◽  
Erin M. Bayne
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Community Response ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Acoustic Localization ◽  
Mature Forest ◽  
Forest Sites

The boreal forest of Alberta, Canada is important breeding habitat for North American songbirds. Thousands of oil and gas wellsites exist in this region that have been actively reclaimed since the 1960s. Limited information exists on how songbirds respond to regeneration of wellsites following reclamation. Methods that provide spatially accurate data are required to determine impacts of these small disturbances characteristic of energy sector on songbirds. Acoustic localization can be used to determine singing locations, based on time of arrival differences of songs to an array of microphones. We used acoustic localization to determine the assemblage of songbirds on 12 reclaimed wellsites ranging from 7 to 49 years since reclamation, and how the similarity of this assemblage to 12 control mature forest sites (greater than 80 years old) changed with increasing canopy cover on the wellsite. Songbird community composition became more similar to mature forest as canopy cover increased on reclaimed wellsites. Results from this study suggest that wellsite reclamation practices are allowing for initial suitable vegetation recovery, however more research on the effectiveness of different strategies at promoting regeneration of wellsites and subsequent impact on songbird communities is required.

Habitat selection of sympatric Siberian Grouse and Hazel Grouse in natural and exploited forests of the lower Amur region

Ornis Fennica ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 142-161
Author(s):  
Tobias Ludwig ◽  
Ralf Siano ◽  
Alexander V. Andreev
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
Empirical Modelling ◽  
Hazel Grouse ◽  
Pioneer Trees ◽  
Selection Of

The Siberian Grouse (Falcipennis falcipennis), which is endemic to the “dark-needle” taiga of the Russian Far East, is one of the least studied grouse species in the world. We examined post-breeding habitat selection of Siberian Grouse and contrasted it with that of the better examined Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) in two areas near Komsomolsk na Amure, Russia. To infer species-specific preferences, we used field sampling, logistic regression, and AIC model selection, and compared late summer habitats of Siberian Grouse and Hazel Grouse in a mountain- and hilly area in the dark needle taiga. Our study is the first to explain Siberian Grouse habitat relationships with an empirical modelling approach. Results indicate proportions of coniferous/ pioneer trees forest and rejuvenation to be the most important covariates separating Siberian and Hazel Grouse observation sites in forests from both areas. Siberian Grouse tended to select sites with low proportions of pioneer trees and rejuvenation but availability of dwarf shrubs. Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) appeared to be of high importance for the presence of Siberian Grouse in both regions. Hazel Grouse were common in places dominated by pioneer trees with high canopy cover, and high proportions of grass/herb cover. Hazel Grouse also occurred more often in forest sites with dense vertical layering and rejuvenation. Modern forestry, which results in increasing amounts of forests at younger successional stages, is likely to favour the Hazel Grouse at the expense of the Siberian Grouse.

scholarly journals Identifying The Key Variables for Assessing The Reclamation Success on Early Growth Vegetation in Ex-exploration of Oil and Gas Mining Areas

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-232
Author(s):  
T Negara ◽  
◽  
C Kusmana ◽  
I Mansur ◽  
N A Santi
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Chloride Content ◽  
Biological Indicator ◽  
Cophenetic Correlation ◽  
Error Matrix ◽  
Variance Matrix ◽  
Mining Areas ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Vector Difference ◽  
Key Indicators

This paper examines the identification of key indicators that could be used to measure the success of reclamation plants in post-exploration oil and gas mining areas. The main objective of this research was to find key indicators or variables for evaluating the level success of reclamation results in the post-mining of oil and gas area. In this study, 44 environmental variables of the physical, biological, soil, water and air indicators were analyzed from 70 field plots of 6 reclamation and 2 natural forest sites. The analysis methods included (1) cluster analysis using the Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering method with the Ward's method, and (2) quadratic discriminant analysis. The results of the clustering analysis showed that there were some clusters due to variation of biomass, water, soil and air conditions. The three clusters developed based on water and/or air variables provided high cophenetic correlation (0.80) with low within-cluster (14.5%) and high between-cluster variations (85.5%). Based on the multicollinearity analysis, average vector difference test, variance matrix variance test, unidimensional test of each variable and quadratic discriminant function, this study found that there were 3 key indicators determining variations of the quality of the reclamation plantations within the study sites, namely, biological indicator of biomass volume (Bio_B); soil indicator of P content in the soil (Tnh_P), saturation base of soil (Tnh_Kb), Manganese (Mn) content in the soil (Tnh_Mn), Sulfur content in the soil (Tnh_S), percentage of ash in the soil (Tnh_Ab), percentage of clay in the soil (Tnh_Li), and water indicator of chloride content in the surface water (Air_Cl). The examination on four classes of the reclamation quality showed that the classes were successfully classified having excellent cross-validation error matrix with overall accuracy more than 90%.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Effects of Projected Climate Change on Forest Fuel Moisture Content

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 65-69
Author(s):  
Kellen Nelson ◽  
Daniel Tinker
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Mature Forest ◽  
Forest Fuel ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content

Understanding how live and dead forest fuel moisture content (FMC) varies with seasonal weather and stand structure will improve researchers’ and forest managers’ ability to predict the cumulative effects of weather on fuel drying during the fire season and help identify acute conditions that foster wildfire ignition and high rates of fire spread. No studies have investigated the efficacy of predicting FMC using mechanistic water budget models at daily time scales through the fire season nor have they investigated how FMC may vary across space. This study addresses these gaps by (1) validating a novel mechanistic live FMC model and (2) applying this model with an existing dead FMC model at three forest sites using five climate change scenarios to characterize how FMC changes through time and across space. Sites include post-fire 24-year old forest, mature forest with high canopy cover, and mature forest affected by the mountain pine beetle with moderate canopy cover. Climate scenarios include central tendency, warm/dry, warm/wet, hot/dry, and hot/wet.

scholarly journals Constraining ecosystem model with Adaptive Metropolis algorithm using boreal forest site eddy covariance measurements

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarmo Mäkelä ◽  
Jouni Susiluoto ◽  
Tiina Markkanen ◽  
Mika Aurela ◽  
Ivan Mammarella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Gross Primary Production ◽  
Co2 Concentration ◽  
Moisture Stress ◽  
Ecosystem Model ◽  
Metropolis Algorithm ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Diurnal Cycles ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Eddy Covariance Measurements

Abstract. We examined parameter optimization in JSBACH ecosystem model, applied for two boreal forest sites in Finland. We identified and tested key parameters in soil hydrology and forest water and carbon exchange related formulations and optimized them using the Adaptive Metropolis algorithm for a five year calibration period (2000–2004) followed by a four year validation period (2005–2008). We were able to improve the modelled seasonal, daily and diurnal cycles of gross primary production and evapotranspiration but unable to enhance the models response to dryness. The improvements are mostly accounted for by parameters related to the ratio of leaf internal CO2 concentration to external CO2, relative humidity, transpiration and soil moisture stress.

On the Values and Variability of Degree-Day Melting Factor in Finland

1980 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 235-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esko Kuusisto
Keyword(s):  
Open Field ◽  
Snow Depth ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Snow Density ◽  
Density Measurements ◽  
Seasonal Course ◽  
Degree Day ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Cent Increase

About 96,000 snow depth and 17,000 snow density measurements were used to study the most widely used variable in snowmelt forecasting, the degree-day factor. This data was collected on 12 stake stations each with 25 stakes in forest and 9 on open field during 1959 to 1978. The seasonal averages of degree-day factor are studied; they vary rather widely from station to station. The average for all forest sites is 2.42 mm°dC−1d−1 and for all open sites 3.51 mm°C−1d−1. A 10 per cent increase of canopy cover in forest decreases the degree-day factor on the average by 0.16 mm°C−1d−1. On rainy pentades the degree-day factor is larger especially in forest sites. Finally, the seasonal course of the degree-day factor and its dependance on snow density are discussed.

Summary and Synthesis: Past and Future Changes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn W. Walker ◽  
Mary E. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Tree Resistance ◽  
Forest Sites

Historically the boreal forest has experienced major changes, and it remains a highly dynamic biome today. During cold phases of Quaternary climate cycles, forests were virtually absent from Alaska, and since the postglacial re-establishment of forests ca 13,000 years ago, there have been periods of both relative stability and rapid change (Chapter 5). Today, the Alaskan boreal forest appears to be on the brink of further significant change in composition and function triggered by recent changes that include climatic warming (Chapter 4). In this chapter, we summarize the major conclusions from earlier chapters as a basis for anticipating future trends. Alaska warmed rapidly at the end of the last glacial period, ca 15,000–13,000 years ago. Broadly speaking, climate was warmest and driest in the late glacial and early Holocene; subsequently, moisture increased, and the climate gradually cooled. These changes were associated with shifts in vegetation dominance from deciduous woodland and shrubland to white spruce and then to black spruce. The establishment of stands of fire-prone black spruce over large areas of the boreal forest 5000–6000 years ago is linked to an apparent increase in fire frequency, despite the climatic trend to cooler and moister conditions. This suggests that long-term features of the Holocene fire regime are more strongly driven by vegetation characteristics than directly by climate (Chapter 5). White spruce forests show decreased growth in response to recent warming, because warming-induced drought stress is more limiting to growth than is temperature per se (Chapters 5, 11). If these environmental controls persist, projections suggest that continued climate warming will lead to zero net annual growth and perhaps the movement of white spruce to cooler upland forest sites before the end of the twenty-first century. At the southern limit of the Alaskan boreal forest, spruce bark beetle outbreaks have decimated extensive areas of spruce forest, because warmer temperatures have reduced tree resistance to bark beetles and shortened the life cycle of the beetle from two years to one, shifting the tree-beetle interaction in favor of the insect (Chapter 9).

scholarly journals Surface Water Microbial Community Response to the Biocide 2,2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide, Used in Unconventional Oil and Gas Extraction

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fernanda Campa ◽  
Stephen M. Techtmann ◽  
Mallory P. Ladd ◽  
Jun Yan ◽  
Megan Patterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Community Response ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Unconventional Oil ◽  
Gene Copies ◽  
Unconventional Oil And Gas ◽  
By Products

ABSTRACT Production of unconventional oil and gas continues to rise, but the effects of high-density hydraulic fracturing (HF) activity near aquatic ecosystems are not fully understood. A commonly used biocide in HF, 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA), was studied in microcosms of HF-impacted (HF+) versus HF-unimpacted (HF−) surface water streams to (i) compare the microbial community response, (ii) investigate DBNPA degradation products based on past HF exposure, and (iii) compare the microbial community response differences and similarities between the HF biocides DBNPA and glutaraldehyde. The microbial community responded to DBNPA differently in HF-impacted versus HF-unimpacted microcosms in terms of the number of 16S rRNA gene copies quantified, alpha and beta diversity, and differential abundance analyses of microbial community composition through time. The differences in microbial community changes affected degradation dynamics. HF-impacted microbial communities were more sensitive to DBNPA, causing the biocide and by-products of the degradation to persist for longer than in HF-unimpacted microcosms. A total of 17 DBNPA by-products were detected, many of them not widely known as DBNPA by-products. Many of the brominated by-products detected that are believed to be uncharacterized may pose environmental and health impacts. Similar taxa were able to tolerate glutaraldehyde and DBNPA; however, DBNPA was not as effective for microbial control, as indicated by a smaller overall decrease of 16S rRNA gene copies/ml after exposure to the biocide, and a more diverse set of taxa was able to tolerate it. These findings suggest that past HF activity in streams can affect the microbial community response to environmental perturbation such as that caused by the biocide DBNPA. IMPORTANCE Unconventional oil and gas activity can affect pH, total organic carbon, and microbial communities in surface water, altering their ability to respond to new environmental and/or anthropogenic perturbations. These findings demonstrate that 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA), a common hydraulic fracturing (HF) biocide, affects microbial communities differently as a consequence of past HF exposure, persisting longer in HF-impacted (HF+) waters. These findings also demonstrate that DBNPA has low efficacy in environmental microbial communities regardless of HF impact. These findings are of interest, as understanding microbial responses is key for formulating remediation strategies in unconventional oil and gas (UOG)-impacted environments. Moreover, some DBNPA degradation by-products are even more toxic and recalcitrant than DBNPA itself, and this work identifies novel brominated degradation by-products formed.

Temporal changes in boreal forest tree canopy cover along a gradient of gamma radiation

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. Amiro ◽  
J. R. Dugle
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Radiation ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Gamma Rays ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Dose Rates ◽  
Tree Canopy Cover

A forest site in southeastern Manitoba has been irradiated by a point source of gamma rays continuously since 1973, and measurements have been made yearly to study the change in boreal forest canopy cover along the radiation gradient. After 10 years of chronic irradiation, a zone of total tree death has resulted from mean dose rates between 25 and 62 mGy h−1. Tree canopy cover was reduced at mean dose rates exceeding ~ 4.5 mGy h−1 and the largest reduction occurred in the first 2 years of irradiation. The temporal responses of seven woody species to gamma radiation are presented. Bebb's willow, trembling aspen, speckled alder, and paper birch were less sensitive to radiation than black spruce, balsam fir, and jack pine. The results confirm that gymnosperms are more sensitive to gamma rays than angiosperms.

THE CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN BASINS

1989 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy M. Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Structural Evolution ◽  
Thrust Fault ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Upper Proterozoic ◽  
Ongoing Work ◽  
Australian Continent ◽  
Seismic Surveying ◽  
Lower Palaeozoic

The Amadeus and Ngalia Basins are two of several intracratonic basins situated in the central region of the Australian Continent and underlain by Upper Proterozoic and Lower Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks.In the Amadeus Basin, the preserved sedimentary section has been deformed by several orogenic events through geological history, with salt tectonics playing an important role in the structural evolution. The Ordovician System is the primary exploration objective. The Cambrian and Proterozoic sequences, which also carry rock strata having source, reservoir and sealing properties, are secondary targets. However, these latter units are sparsely explored, and only limited information is available on their petroleum prospectiveness. Three of the four petroleum accumulations found to date are in Ordovician sandstones, with the fourth accumulation contained in Cambrian sandstones.The initial drilling phase in the Amadeus Basin in the early 1960s was concentrated on geologically defined surface antic :nes, with seismic surveying becoming the principal technique employed in subsequent exploration phases. The ongoing work has demonstrated a major untested structural play associated with a regional thrust fault system — in particular, combination dip and fault closures developed on the underthrust blocks. Stratigraphic prospects also are present in the Amadeus Basin, but none of these yet has been drilled.The Ngalia Basin is similar stratigraphically and structurally to the Amadeus Basin and is considered prospective for oil and gas. Much less work has been done in the Ngalia than in the Amadeus, with only one well drilled in the entire basin. The well yielded a gas snow from a Proterozoic formation, and other direct hydrocarbon indications have been recorded elsewhere in the basin. Rock units having source, reservoir and sealing parameters are present, as are structures capable of forming traps. Again, these are associated largely with a complex regional thrust fault system.

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