Threats to Boreal Ecosystem Services
The MGP provides a powerful means for
examining the potential threats
to the services provided by boreal ecosystems. It should be
noted, however, that the MGP is in reality a symptom of a larger
illness resulting from ever increasing demands on natural resources
that are being driven by rapid, unsustainable population growth.
These problems are exacerbated by a societal mindset focused on
short-term economic incentives as opposed to the long-term well being
of society (ok… now I’ll get off my soap box).
The effects of the MGP on the boreal forest can be divided into two general categories, indirect and direct. The indirect effects are more associated with the big picture. The most damaging of these, and the one that will most likely affect carbon sequestration by the forest, is climate change induced by the large amounts of CO2 that will be released by the combustion of the gas transported by the MGP.
The direct effects of the MGP are likely to be similar to the effects associated with previous fossil fuel extraction operations in boreal regions. These effects stem from two general processes, the seismic exploration for fossil fuels and the drilling and production of these fuels.
Seismic exploration is used to identify and map oil and gas deposits. This is accomplished by producing sound waves at the Earth’s surface and the recording the reflected waves. These results are then analyzed by computer models to generate maps of potential petroleum and gas deposits. Depending on the method used, a swath from 3 to 8 m wide must be cleared through the forest. The end result is a lot of cleared land. An average of 57,750 km/Y was cleared between 1979 and 1995 for seismic lines. Between 1950 and 1976 234,700 HA of forest was cleared for petroleum exploration and production in Alberta. To give some perspective, 255,692 HA of were cleared over the same time period by the timber industry.
In addition to the large amount of land that must be cleared for seismic exploration, other detrimental effects include: increased access via the cleared swaths of forest; damage to aquatic systems; alterations in predator-prey interactions due to increased predator mobility in the cleared swaths; soil damage; wildlife disturbance; and exotic weed introduction.
Drilling and production of petroleum and gas deposits also results in the clearing of large amounts of lands (and the associated effects mentioned above). In 2000 alone, 11,898 new wells were drilled in Alberta. As of 1997, wells covered 886 km2 of the Boreal National Forest Region in Canada. Another effect of drilling and production is contamination of soil and water by subsurface products brought to the surface by drilling, drilling mud, “process chemicals,” industrial fluids, sewage, and garbage. In addition, drilling and production of fossil fuels can lead to reduced air quality by the release of gases such as benzene, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrite, methane, and carbon dioxide.
The effects of the MGP on the boreal forest can be divided into two general categories, indirect and direct. The indirect effects are more associated with the big picture. The most damaging of these, and the one that will most likely affect carbon sequestration by the forest, is climate change induced by the large amounts of CO2 that will be released by the combustion of the gas transported by the MGP.
The direct effects of the MGP are likely to be similar to the effects associated with previous fossil fuel extraction operations in boreal regions. These effects stem from two general processes, the seismic exploration for fossil fuels and the drilling and production of these fuels.
Seismic exploration is used to identify and map oil and gas deposits. This is accomplished by producing sound waves at the Earth’s surface and the recording the reflected waves. These results are then analyzed by computer models to generate maps of potential petroleum and gas deposits. Depending on the method used, a swath from 3 to 8 m wide must be cleared through the forest. The end result is a lot of cleared land. An average of 57,750 km/Y was cleared between 1979 and 1995 for seismic lines. Between 1950 and 1976 234,700 HA of forest was cleared for petroleum exploration and production in Alberta. To give some perspective, 255,692 HA of were cleared over the same time period by the timber industry.
In addition to the large amount of land that must be cleared for seismic exploration, other detrimental effects include: increased access via the cleared swaths of forest; damage to aquatic systems; alterations in predator-prey interactions due to increased predator mobility in the cleared swaths; soil damage; wildlife disturbance; and exotic weed introduction.
Drilling and production of petroleum and gas deposits also results in the clearing of large amounts of lands (and the associated effects mentioned above). In 2000 alone, 11,898 new wells were drilled in Alberta. As of 1997, wells covered 886 km2 of the Boreal National Forest Region in Canada. Another effect of drilling and production is contamination of soil and water by subsurface products brought to the surface by drilling, drilling mud, “process chemicals,” industrial fluids, sewage, and garbage. In addition, drilling and production of fossil fuels can lead to reduced air quality by the release of gases such as benzene, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrite, methane, and carbon dioxide.