Impact of oil/gas development on vegetation and soils of Big Thicket National Preserve
Fountain MS and Rayburn RL. 1987. Impact of oil/gas development on vegetation and soils of Big Thicket National Preserve. Cooperative Park Studies Unit, Technical Report No 5. Texas A&M University, Cooperative Park Studies Unit
Analysis of the natural revegetation process on abandoned well sites and damage to plants by vehicles doing seismic surveys. On well sites, time to revert to natural status depends on the nature of the surrounding vegetation (more diverse stands take longer), and the degree of disturbance (building berms and adding foreign stabilization material interfere with natural processes). The amount of damage done by seismic survey vehicles depended on vegetation type, type of equipment and season of the year. Most species recovered quickly, but the relative health of plants suffered (sites of damage were susceptible to disease invasion). Major appendices include a tree species list and a woody species list for plots on abandoned well sites, and a species list for transects on paths of seismic survey vehicles. Includes management recommendations.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Fountain, Michael; Rayburn, R
- Date of Issue
- 1987-03-01
- Publisher
- Texas A&M University, Cooperative Park Studies Unit
- Units
- BITH
- Keywords
- Big Thicket National Preserve Texas , Checklist, Environmental Impact, Management, Oil & Gas Activities, OIL WELL DRILLING--BIG Thicket NATIONAL PRESERVE-ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS, Plant Studies, Plants, Revegetation, Trees