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Thesis_Pramila_MS_2019.pdf (2.44 MB)

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Assessment of land cover change due to shale gas development in Harrison County, Ohio

Paudyal, Pramila
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1564421778839792

Abstract Details

, Master of Science, University of Akron, Geography.
Shale gas development is advancing with improved advancement in drilling technology. The shale gas permitted and drilled figure shows the increasing importance of shale development in Ohio. The development of shale gas in an area has effects as an increase in the areas of disturbance, clearing of the existing land cover, surface water contamination, sedimentation, and forest fragmentation. The infrastructures of shale gas as well-pad, road, gathering pipeline result in dramatic effects of change in the existing landscape. This study quantifies the amount of landcover and amount of forest fragmentation in Harrison County, Ohio. The study time was chosen as pre-shale gas development year 2006 and post shale gas development year 2014. The visual examination of the high resolution of aerial images helped in quantifying the changes in land cover in the area. Landscape metrics were used to quantify forest fragmentation. A total of 1393 hectare of land cover changed into shale gas infrastructures during the study time. The shale gas infrastructures were responsible for 620 hectares of forest cover change in the area. Approximately 1075 hectares of land was occupied by gathering pipelines alone out of which 543 hectares were forest area. In the study area, the forest cover decreased by 1% while comparing with the year prior to the shale gas development. Similarly, the increased number of forest patches also suggests the forest fragmentation of the area. These changes in the study area are attributable to an increase in the shale gas infrastructure.
Shanon Donnelly, PhD (Advisor)
Linda Barrett, PhD (Committee Member)
Jeremy Spencer, PhD (Committee Member)
49 p.
Geography
Shale gas, landcover, forest fragmentation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Paudyal, P. (2019). Assessment of land cover change due to shale gas development in Harrison County, Ohio [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1564421778839792

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Paudyal, Pramila. Assessment of land cover change due to shale gas development in Harrison County, Ohio. 2019. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1564421778839792.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Paudyal, Pramila. "Assessment of land cover change due to shale gas development in Harrison County, Ohio." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1564421778839792

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1564421778839792
233
© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.