Prudhoe Bay Geobotanical Atlas (PBGA)
In progress, will be added as funding allows
About the PBGA
The Prudhoe Bay Geobotanical Atlas was constructed during the early years of the Prudhoe Bay oil field (Walker et al. 1980). The Atlas illustrates the interrelationships among the landforms, soils, and vegetation of a portion of the Arctic Coastal Plain that lies within the oil field east of the Kuparuk River. Forty two plant communities (11 mapping units), 12 landform units, and 6 soil units are described and mapped. The PBGA was made before the advent of GIS technology. The map data were integrated into master maps, that have now been converted to GIS databases. Separate chapters in the PBGA describe:
- Geology and permafrost
- Climate
- Landforms
- Soils
- Vegetation
- Mapping methods
Special purpose maps derived from the master maps (peat thickness, snow depth, active layer thickness, plant growth forms, lichen distribution, water and wet terrain, breeding bird density, oil spill sensitivity, off-road vehicle sensitivity) are prepared for a selected portion of the mapped area. A full description of the vegetation and environmental gradients of the Prudhoe Bay region is in Walker (1981), and Walker and Everett (1990).
Portions of the mapped area were later converted to GIS data bases for an historical analysis of the cumulative impacts of oil field development in the Prudhoe Bay region (Walker et al. 1996, Walker et al. 1997). This analysis has recently been expanded with a cumulative impact study by the National Academy of Science that included an analysis of the historical changes to the infrastructure network (roads, gravel pads, gravel mines, etc) in the Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk River region (NAS, 2003).
Considerable additional geobotanical mapping has been conducted by the oil industry and private environmental consulting companies.