Natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale region: well pad densities and aquatic communities

摘要: Few studies have examined the relationship between natural gas development and surface water quality using well pad density (the number of pads/km2) as an indicator potential impacts to aquatic life, specifically fish, salamander, crayfish assemblages. We tested hypothesis that animal assemblages, assessed by densities ecologically important species, will differ among groups watersheds with different densities. In 2011, sites were sampled in Pennsylvania July 13 September 14 (N = 28; 10 = no pads, 8 = low density, 10 = moderate density). did not detect evidence impact on It should be noted this study primarily infrastructure-related impacts. Watersheds under investigations area included no stream withdrawals for drilling relatively low (≤0.541 pads/km2), which reduces amount roads pipeline sediment runoff reaching from other infrastructure during development. addition, setback landscape limitations also kept pads far waters, these remained highly forested after because most state forests. Therefore, findings represent least intrusive scenario communities while extracting gas.