Arctic Gas 6 12 Norch 9 1 West 20 Southwest Southeast Semipalmated Sandpiper 1976 1975 1973 1972 Lapland Longspur 1975 1973 Jeane 10 1o 5 8 5 1 4 5 5 2 25 3 5 :\ 1 15 3 5 2 3 2 comparison with current research regults; not only extend the data base but / this will pill also facil- itate predictions about long-term/effects and recovery of tundra ecosystem components from petroleum resource developments. The 1976 nesting season tgr tundra birds was considerably lest successful than during 1975 be- cause of inclement weather thAc taintained a lingering snow cover ang large expanses of standing water in low-center polygon and Cgrex meadow habitats grids of 0.IN6 ha each, situated in such a manner Co and a high degree of predayion. measure changes in/animal populations that would be Numbers of nests of semipalmated sandpipers and Lapland longspurs found on the 82-ha study rea at Prudhoe Bay are affeceed by pipeldne and road acrivicies, occur. if such The inclement weather conditions that pre- shown in Table I to illugcrate che shifring of vailed over f the North Slope were apparently these species in occupatfion of available nesting responsible f£ habitat and increased nBsting during the 1973 opti- the bird spedies (1Xnests/100 ha) compared to those mum conditions. at Prudhoe fay (60 nelgts/100 ha), although the <A tot H of 92 nesting birds of 4 species were banded “ee the 1976 season, and tha very low nesting densities of Franklin Bluffs site cyntained a greater diversity 12 birds banded in previpus years were recaptured, of species. providing new data o nest site and pairing fidel- cies were banded and coldr~marked for continuing ity. studies of population dynamics of those species. | 7 Small-mammal population studies were again con- Forty-thred birds representing 6 spe~ Live-trapping revealed that the collared (or ducted by live-trapping within 17 grids of 0.116 ha varying) lemming, DicrostonWx groenlandicus, was each within the Alaskan arctic gas Study area and the most abundant small mamma| ics periphery. Bluffs habitats, and a populathon density of about <A population ‘density of 7.1 col- lared (or varying) lemmings per ha was estimated from 8200 trap-nights of affor August; this Was-a decrease fr per ha estimated last year. the lemmings, during July and the 19.2 lemmings Greater mobilicy of particularly adult, males, was noced in the Franklin 4.3 animals/ha was estimated fr i . capturing the animals. Next tagging and re- . . in portance was che tundra‘vole, Microtus oeconomus, singing vole, Microtus miurus, followed by the and the brown lem- ming, Lemmus trimucronatus. o from observations of tagged individuals that re- Oe OFF O00 a Oe NO Oh rer SEE HOE CHEE SHOTS EOEE ENTS HO Fs Pa ee ee ee eee ee eee ee SP eee ee oe 1972 A Survey of Plutonium Concentration Variabilicv in of 300 cto 500 m straight-line between points of Soil Samples from Various Locations capture, (T. £. Hakonson] Study areas were established during early May near Franklin Bluffs, 50 km south of Prudhoe Bay, and near Happy Valley, 100 ka south of Prudhoe Bay, 60 _ The iLarge variability associated with environmental plutonium data is currently recognized as a major problem in designing field studies of chis ‘ / peatedly crossed pipeline berms and made journeys wi Area (ha) ted htt tO Sector + NESTING BIRDS IN VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE PRUDHOE BAY STUDY AREA iMew: TABLE IT