Science. 1987 Nov 6;238(4828):757-61. doi: 10.1126/science.238.4828.757.
Proposed further developments on Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain raise questions about cumulative effects on arctic tundra ecosystems of development of multiple large oil fields. Maps of historical changes to the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field show indirect impacts can lag behind planned developments by many years and the total area eventually disturbed can greatly exceed the planned area of construction. For example, in the wettest parts of the oil field (flat thaw-lake plains), flooding and thermokarst covered more than twice the area directly affected by roads and other construction activities. Protecting critical wildlife habitat is the central issue for cumulative impact analysis in northern Alaska. Comprehensive landscape planning with the use of geographic information system technology and detailed geobotanical maps can help identify and protect areas of high wildlife use.
对阿拉斯加北极沿海平原的进一步开发引发了人们对多个大型油田开发对北极苔原生态系统的累积影响的质疑。普拉德霍湾油田历史变化图显示，间接影响可能会滞后于规划的开发多年，最终受干扰的总面积可能大大超过规划的建设面积。例如，在油田最潮湿的地区（平坦的融湖平原），洪水和热喀斯特地貌覆盖的面积是道路和其他施工活动直接影响面积的两倍多。保护关键的野生动物栖息地是阿拉斯加北部累积影响分析的核心问题。综合景观规划，利用地理信息系统技术和详细的地植物地图，可以帮助确定和保护高野生动物使用的区域。
