Ecological Restoration Practices within a Semi-arid Natural Gas Field Improve Insect Abundance and Diversity during Early and Late Growing Season

Curran, Michael F.; Sorenson, Joshua R; Craft, Zoe A; Crow, Taylor M.; Robinson, Timothy J.; Stahl, Peter D.

doi:10.3390/ani13010134

“…While little statistically significant differences were found among vegetation cover class groups across this study, it may be important to note that grass, forb, and total vegetation cover had higher mean cover percentages in all study areas. As older stands of sagebrush found in the reference system of the Pinedale Anticline natural gas field have not shown to host large amounts of insect diversity ¬[46, 47], it is perhaps not surprising that insect abundance was significantly greater on well pad groups compared to reference sites in 3 of 5 areas with diversity at the species and family levels being significantly higher on reclaimed sites in 4 of 5 areas studied.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, its findings are important as it is the first to examine how reclaimed well pads which are greater than 3-years-old compare to adjacent reference areas in a sagebrush-steppe ecosystem. Previous research in Sublette County natural gas fields clearly showed well pads undergoing reclamation which were 3-years-old and under had more insect abundance and diversity than old stands of reference area sagebrush [46, 47], which is consistent with successional theory suggesting biodiversity peaks in early successional stages [61]. While successional processes develop over long periods of time in cold, arid environments, knowing that reclaimed well pads from 5-12 years old are able to support enhanced biodiversity during peak growing season is encouraging as understanding biodiversity loss and ecosystem restoration have been considered 2 of the top 4 opportunities for future ecological successional studies [62].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies examining how insects respond to reclamation practices on Sublette County natural gas well pads show well pads exhibiting early successional vegetation (1-3 years post reclamation initiation) contain higher insect abundance and diversity than adjacent reference ecosystems [46,47].…”

Section: Curran Et Al Insect Response To Natural Gas Well Pad Reclama...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on previous research examining vegetation and insects in this area [46,47], we hypothesized that vegetation communities on reclaimed well pads would be different than reference sites and that insect abundance and diversity would be higher on reclaimed well pads than reference sites.…”

Section: Curran Et Al Insect Response To Natural Gas Well Pad Reclama...mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Insect abundance and richness response to ecological reclamation on well pads 5-12 years into succession in a semi-arid natural gas field

Curran,

Allison,

Robinson

et al. 2024

Preprint

Self Cite

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Natural gas extraction is a critical driver of the economy in western North America. Ecological reclamation is important to ensure surface disturbance impacts associated with natural gas development are not permanent and to assist native biota. Previous research in semi-arid natural gas fields within Sublette County, Wyoming, USA have shown insects respond favorably to well pads undergoing reclamation for 1-3 years, but no work has examined how insects respond to older successional vegetation communities dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridenta spp. Wyomingensis). Here we examined well pads which were initially seeded between 5, 8, 10, 11, and 12 prior to our study. We used a free, image-based software called SamplePoint to quantify vegetation on these well pads and adjacent reference areas from cell phone cameras. Insects were collected with a sweep net and identified to the family and morphospecies level. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare both vegetation and insect communities between reclamation sites and their paired reference area. We found little statistical difference between vegetation communities across our study, but found significantly more insect abundance in 3 of 5 years and significantly higher family and species richness in 4 of 5 years. Our results suggest reclamation of natural gas well pads within an old successional stand of sagebrush continues to support higher levels of insect biodiversity and abundance for at least 12 years. As insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth and because they provide a wide array of ecosystem services, our findings suggest ecological reclamation plays an important role in returning biodiversity to a semi-arid and old successional sagebrush-steppe ecosystem.

show abstract

“…Measuring insect richness and diversity has shown to be a sound indicator of ecosystem functionality and restoration success since insects respond rapidly to environmental change, provide more ecosystem services than other animals, and because statistically valid samples can be obtained in a short time period [42,43]. Efforts to understand insect response to restoration efforts are heavily focused on pollinators in crop agriculture ecosystems [44] and very few studies have been conducted to determine how insects respond to reclamation associated with oil and natural gas development [45][46][47]. Previous studies examining how insects respond to reclamation practices on Sublette County natural gas well pads show well pads exhibiting early successional vegetation (1-3 years post reclamation initiation) contain higher insect abundance and diversity than adjacent reference ecosystems [46,47].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insect Abundance and Richness Response to Ecological Reclamation on Well Pads 5–12 Years into Succession in a Semi-Arid Natural Gas Field

Curran,

Allison,

Robinson

et al. 2024

Diversity

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Natural gas extraction is a critical driver of the economy in western North America. Ecological reclamation is important to ensure surface disturbance impacts associated with natural gas development are not permanent and to assist native biota. Previous studies in semi-arid natural gas fields within Sublette County, Wyoming, USA have shown insects respond favorably to 1–3-year-old well pads undergoing reclamation compared to older successional reference vegetation communities dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp. Wyomingensis). Here, we examined well pads which were initially seed 5, 8, 10, 11, and 12 years prior to our study. We used a free, image-based software called SamplePointv. 1.60 to quantify vegetation on these well pads and adjacent reference areas from cell phone camera photographs. Insects were collected with a sweep net and identified to the family and morphospecies level. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare both vegetation and insect communities between reclamation sites and their paired reference area. We found little statistical difference between vegetation communities across our study but found significantly more insect abundance on reclaimed well pads than reference areas in 3 of 5 years and significantly higher family and morphospecies richness on reclaimed well pads in 4 of 5 years. A total of 2036 individual insects representing 270 species from 71 families across 11 orders were identified across this study. A total of 1557 individuals (76.5%) were found on reclamation sites, whereas 479 (23.5%) were found in reference areas across the entire study. A total of 233 species (86.3% of total) were found on reclamation sites, whereas 121 species (44.8% of total) were found in reference areas across the entire study. A total of 67 families (94.4% of total) were found on reclamation sites, whereas 45 families (63.4% of total) were found in reference areas across the entire study. All 11 orders found in the study were found on reclamation sites, whereas 9 orders were found in reference areas across the entire study. Our results suggest reclamation of natural gas well pads within an old successional stand of sagebrush continues to support higher levels of insect biodiversity and abundance for at least 12 years. As insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth and because they provide a wide array of ecosystem services, our findings suggest ecological reclamation plays an important role in returning biodiversity and ecosystem functionality to a semi-arid and old successional sagebrush–steppe ecosystem.

show abstract

Native bee habitat restoration: key ecological considerations from recent North American literature

Payne,

Mazer,

Seltmann

2024

Front. Ecol. Evol.

1

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Habitat loss is a primary driver of global biodiversity decline, negatively impacting many species, including native bees. One approach to counteract the consequences of habitat loss is through restoration, which includes the transformation of degraded or damaged habitats to increase biodiversity. In this review, we survey bee habitat restoration literature over the last 14 years to provide insights into how best to promote bee diversity and abundance through the restoration of natural landscapes in North America. We highlight relevant questions and concepts to consider throughout the various stages of habitat restoration projects, categorizing them into pre-, during-, and post-restoration stages. We emphasize the importance of planning species- and site-specific strategies to support bees, including providing floral and non-floral resources and increasing nest site availability. Lastly, we underscore the significance of conducting evaluations and long-term monitoring following restoration efforts. By identifying effective restoration methods, success indicators, and areas for future research, our review presents a comprehensive framework that can guide land managers during this urgent time for bee habitat restoration.

show abstract

Ecological Restoration Practices within a Semi-arid Natural Gas Field Improve Insect Abundance and Diversity during Early and Late Growing Season

Cited by 4 publications

References 38 publications

Insect abundance and richness response to ecological reclamation on well pads 5-12 years into succession in a semi-arid natural gas field

Insect abundance and richness response to ecological reclamation on well pads 5-12 years into succession in a semi-arid natural gas field

Insect Abundance and Richness Response to Ecological Reclamation on Well Pads 5–12 Years into Succession in a Semi-Arid Natural Gas Field

Native bee habitat restoration: key ecological considerations from recent North American literature

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About