State of knowledge about energy development impacts on North American rangelands: An integrative approach

To reduce dependence on foreign oil reserves, there has been a push in North America to develop alternative domestic energy resources. Relatively undeveloped renewable energy resources include biofuels and wind and solar energy, many of which occur predominantly on rangelands. Rangelands are also ke...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental management 2016-09, Vol.180, p.1-9
Main Authors: Kreuter, Urs P., Iwaasa, Alan D., Theodori, Gene L., Ansley, R. James, Jackson, Robert B., Fraser, Lauchlan H., Naeth, M. Anne, McGillivray, Susan, Moya, Edmundo Garcia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biodiesel fuels
Biofuels
Biophysics
Canada
Conservation of Natural Resources
Ecosystem
Environment
Environmental Restoration and Remediation - methods
Grassland
Hydraulic fracturing
Knowledge
Land use change
Mexico
Natural Gas
North America
Oil and gas
Oil reserves
Rangeland restoration
Renewable Energy
Socioeconomic Factors
Solar Energy
Wind
Wind energy
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Summary:To reduce dependence on foreign oil reserves, there has been a push in North America to develop alternative domestic energy resources. Relatively undeveloped renewable energy resources include biofuels and wind and solar energy, many of which occur predominantly on rangelands. Rangelands are also key areas for natural gas development from shales and tight sand formations. Accordingly, policies aimed at greater energy independence are likely to affect the delivery of crucial ecosystem services provided by rangelands. Assessing and dealing with the biophysical and socio-economic effects of energy development on rangeland ecosystems require an integrative and systematic approach that is predicated on a broad understanding of diverse issues related to energy development. In this article, we present a road map for developing an integrative assessment of energy development on rangelands in North America. We summarize current knowledge of socio-economic and biophysical aspects of rangeland based energy development, and we identify knowledge gaps and monitoring indicators to fill these knowledge gaps. •Policies aimed at energy independence will affect ecosystem services on rangelands.•Assessing these impacts requires an integrative and systematic approach.•A road map for such an assessment of energy development on rangelands is presented.•Current knowledge is assessed and indicators to fill knowledge gaps about energy development impacts are identified.
ISSN:0301-4797
1095-8630
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.05.007