TY - JOUR
T1 - Biotic impacts of energy development from shale
T2 - Research priorities and knowledge gaps
AU - Souther, Sara
AU - Tingley, Morgan W.
AU - Popescu, Viorel D.
AU - Hayman, David T.S.
AU - Ryan, Maureen E.
AU - Graves, Tabitha A.
AU - Hartl, Brett
AU - Terrell, Kimberly
PY - 2014/8
Y1 - 2014/8
N2 - Although shale drilling operations for oil and natural gas have increased greatly in the past decade, few studies directly quantify the impacts of shale development on plants and wildlife. We evaluate knowledge gaps related to shale development and prioritize research needs using a quantitative framework that includes spatial and temporal extent, mitigation difficulty, and current level of understanding. Identified threats to biota from shale development include: surface and groundwater contamination; diminished stream flow; stream siltation; habitat loss and fragmentation; localized air, noise, and light pollution; climate change; and cumulative impacts. We find the highest research priorities to be probabilistic threats (underground chemical migration; contaminant release during storage, during disposal, or from accidents; and cumulative impacts), the study of which will require major scientific coordination among researchers, industry, and government decision makers. Taken together, our research prioritization outlines a way forward to better understand how energy development affects the natural world.
AB - Although shale drilling operations for oil and natural gas have increased greatly in the past decade, few studies directly quantify the impacts of shale development on plants and wildlife. We evaluate knowledge gaps related to shale development and prioritize research needs using a quantitative framework that includes spatial and temporal extent, mitigation difficulty, and current level of understanding. Identified threats to biota from shale development include: surface and groundwater contamination; diminished stream flow; stream siltation; habitat loss and fragmentation; localized air, noise, and light pollution; climate change; and cumulative impacts. We find the highest research priorities to be probabilistic threats (underground chemical migration; contaminant release during storage, during disposal, or from accidents; and cumulative impacts), the study of which will require major scientific coordination among researchers, industry, and government decision makers. Taken together, our research prioritization outlines a way forward to better understand how energy development affects the natural world.
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U2 - 10.1890/130324
DO - 10.1890/130324
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84905444108
SN - 1540-9295
VL - 12
SP - 330
EP - 338
JO - Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
JF - Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
IS - 6
ER -