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Régions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

étiquettes: physical sciences, contaminants, environmental assessment, petroleum industry, active layer, permafrost, soil, vegetation, snow, ground ice, sump site, terrestrial ecosystem, bird sanctuary

Objectif(s): Since the 1970's, the oil and gas industry has drilled at least 19 exploratory wells in the Kendall Island Bird Sanctuary, but there is a shortage of field data describing environmental conditions at the well-sites and drilling-mud sumps. This study will 1) examine long-term terrain and ecological responses to disturbance, 2) describe the physical and ecological environment in adjacent undisturbed areas, and 3) examine relationships between vegetation, snow accumulation, and ground temperatures. The study complements the work of Dr. Kevin Biggar, who is investigating soils and contaminants at the study sites. Specific study objectives are to 1) document patterns of variation in plant community composition and structure at abandoned drilling-mud sumps, on the lease, and in adjacent undisturbed terrain, 2) determine the effect of vegetation on winter snow accumulation and ground thermal conditions, 3) investigate the potential relationships between vegetation type and snow cover, ground thermal conditions, or ground ice conditions, and 4) investigate the efficacy of using remotely-sensed vegetation data to assess the status of abandoned oil and gas infrastructure and/or map snow cover and near-surface ground ice conditions.