Impact of the Bakken/Three Forks unconventional oil and gas development on natural habitats in North Dakota

Abstract

Unconventional oil and gas production (i.e., horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing) has expanded rapidly in the US. One important region where this expansion has occurred is the Bakken/Three Forks Formation, a tight oil play that has made North Dakota a major U.S. oil producer. Using a spatial well database and satellite imagery, we directly measured land‐use changes caused by recent oil and gas activities in two important natural habitats in North Dakota. These two habitats were prairie potholes and public lands that include conservation of wildlife as part of their publicly stated mission. For public lands, we found that about 2,600 ha have been developed, edge habitat increased by almost 30 km (3.65% increase), and average fragment size decreased by 0.70%. Few prairie potholes were directly impacted by this activity, but distance to development decreased for almost one third (434/1,300) by an average of about 400 m. Although land cover changes have been measured in this region in previous publications, our results showing changes in fragmentation, edge habitat, and distance to development provide new metrics for how these habitats in North Dakota are being affected by fossil fuel activity. Observed land‐use changes, while modest, likely have negative impacts on wildlife, including increased mortality or habitat avoidance. Given the potential spread of unconventional oil and gas across the globe, understanding these patterns should help inform land and wildlife managers, as well as the oil and gas industry, about strategies to limit impacts of well and infrastructure placement on valuable wildlife habitats.

Time, climate, and soil settings set the course for reclamation outcomes following dryland energy development

“…The physical and ecological footprint of energy development is vast and there is uncertainty on where, when, and how these highly disturbed lands can be successfully reclaimed after production has ceased. Energy development can fragment wildlife habitat (Chambers et al, 2022; Howden et al, 2019), increase cover of weedy annual species (Waller et al, 2018), and arrest plant succession (Lupardus et al, 2019). Management actions (e.g., soil amendments, seeding) may improve reclamation, but current research indicates mixed results (Nauman et al, 2017).…”

Disturbance of wintering waterbirds by simulated road traffic noise in Arkansas wetlands

“…As transit networks continue to expand into less developed areas (Laurance et al 2015, Torres et al 2016, Howden et al 2019) and wetland restoration projects increase in developed areas (Kusler and Kentula 1989, Kim et al 2011), waterbirds are more likely to be exposed to road traffic noise. In a time when declines have been observed in some waterbird species in certain regions of North America (U.S.…”