Patterns in avian reproduction in the Prudhoe Bay Oilfield, Alaska, 2003–2019

Abstract

The Arctic Coastal Plain is one of the most important avian breeding grounds in the world; however, many species are in decline. Arctic-breeding birds contend with short breeding seasons, harsh climatic conditions, and now, rapidly changing, variable, and unpredictable environmental conditions caused by climate change. Additionally, those breeding in industrial areas may be impacted by human activities. It is difficult to separate the impacts of industrial development and climate change; however, long-term datasets can help show patterns over time. We evaluated factors influencing reproductive parameters of breeding birds at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, 2003-2019, by monitoring 1265 shorebird nests, 378 passerine nests, and 231 waterfowl nests. We found that nest survival decreased significantly nearer high-use infrastructure for all guilds. Temporally, passerine nest survival declined across the 17 years of the study, while there was no significant evidence of change in their nest density. Shorebird nest survival did not vary significantly across years, nor did nest density. Waterfowl nest density increased over the course of the study, but we could not estimate nest survival in all years. Egg predator populations varied across time; numbers of gulls and ravens increased in the oilfields 2003-2019, while Arctic fox decreased, and jaeger numbers did not vary significantly. Long-term datasets are rare in the Arctic, but they are crucial for understanding impacts to breeding birds from both climate change and increasing anthropogenic activities. We show that nest survival was lower for birds nesting closer to high-use infrastructure in Arctic Alaska, which was not detected in earlier, shorter-term studies. Additionally, we show that Lapland longspur nest survival decreased across time, in concert with continent-wide declines in many passerine species. The urgency to understand these relationships cannot be expressed strongly enough, given change is continuing to happen and the potential impacts are large.

Responses of nesting greater white‐fronted geese to oil development in the Arctic

“…Construction of the first oil development in the NPR-A began during 2014 as part of the Alpine Satellite Development Plan (Bureau of Land Management 2004) and additional oil and gas development in the reserve is in progress. The effects of this development on breeding birds, and particularly waterfowl, have been a subject of research since discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 (National Research Council 2004, Liebezeit et al 2009, Thompson et al 2015, McGuire et al 2023), but they are not fully understood.…”

“…Ice roads designed to protect the tundra mat that insulates permafrost soils generally melt by summer but compresses the prior year's growth of stems and leaves, thereby reducing vegetative cover (Guyer and Keating 2005, Pullman et al 2005, Yokel et al 2007. During summer, the network of gravel roads and pads associated with oil development may result in direct loss or modification of potential nesting and feeding areas, displacing some species (Thompson et al 2015) and decreasing productivity and nest survival in others (Liebezeit et al 2009, McGuire et al 2023. In newly developed areas, breeding sites that were formerly available may be lost or altered.…”