Dynamics of a Coupled System: Multi-Resolution Remote Sensing in Assessing Social-Ecological Responses during 25 Years of Gas Field Development in Arctic Russia

Abstract

Abstract:Hydrocarbon exploration has been underway in the north of West Siberia for several decades. Giant gas fields on the Yamal Peninsula are expected to begin feeding the Nord Stream pipeline to Western Europe in late 2012. Employing a variety of high-to very high-resolution satellite-based sensors, we have followed the establishment and spread of Bovanenkovo, the biggest and first field to be developed. Extensive onsite field observations and measurements of land use and land cover changes since 1985 have been combined with intensive participant observation in all seasons among indigenous Nenets reindeer herders and long-term gas field workers during 2004-2007 and 2010-2011. Time series and multi-resolution imagery was used to build a chronology of the gas field's development. Large areas of partially or totally denuded tundra and most forms of expanding infrastructure are readily tracked with Landsat scenes (1985, 1988, 2000, 2009, 2011). SPOT (1993SPOT ( , 1998 and ASTER (2001) were also used. Quickbird-2 (2004) and GeoEye (2010) were most successful in detecting small-scale anthropogenic disturbances as well as individual camps of nomadic herders moving in the vicinity of the gas field. For assessing gas field development the best results are obtained by combining lower resolution with Very High Resolution (VHR) imagery (spatial resolution <5 m) and fieldwork. Nenets managing collective and privately owned herds of reindeer have proven adept in responding to a broad range of intensifying industrial impacts at the same time as they have OPEN ACCESSRemote Sens. 2012, 4 1047 1047 been dealing with symptoms of a warming climate. Here we detail both the spatial extent of gas field growth and the dynamic relationship between Nenets nomads and their rapidly evolving social-ecological system.

Trends in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) associated with urban development in northern West Siberia

“…Such changes occupy only a minor fraction of NWS and often could be collocated with natural or anthropogenic disturbances of the vegetation cover. This observation lead Macias-Fauria et al (2012) and Kumpula et al (2012) to hypothesize that those disturbances help to establish alternative, more productive ecosystems of graminoids, shrubs and tree seedlings. In this discussion, we consider the major climatological and physical factors that may support the alternative vegetation cover.…”

“…The development has left significant footprints on the vegetation cover. These footprints were found not only at the development sites but also across large distances (Walker et al, 2009;Kumpula et al, 2012). More specifically, Kumpula et al (2011) reported extensive transformation from shrub-to more productive (greener) grass-and sedge-dominated tundra in NWS that reclaim artificial terrain disturbances at Bovanenkovskiy gas field, Yamal peninsula (70 • N).…”

Simplified Normalization of C-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar Data for Terrestrial Applications in High Latitude Environments

“…Changes may have occurred over this time period, like for instance in areas of gas and oil extraction [42]. This leads to an increase of urban settlements and locally double bounce effects, respectively, which are currently not considered.…”

Cumulative geoecological effects of 62 years of infrastructure and climate change in ice‐rich permafrost landscapes, Prudhoe Bay Oilfield, Alaska

“…Summaries of some of the cumulative effects have been addressed in Russia (Forbes et al, 2009;Walker et al, 2011;Kumpula et al, 2012), Alaska Orians et al, 2003), and globally (AMAP, 2010). Summaries of some of the cumulative effects have been addressed in Russia (Forbes et al, 2009;Walker et al, 2011;Kumpula et al, 2012), Alaska Orians et al, 2003), and globally (AMAP, 2010).…”