4.2.2 Defining Resources and VECs – Upstream Projects Study Area
To help characterize the Upstream Projects study area in terms of site–specific or locally relevant VECs, the Upstream Projects study area was classified in the following resources: • Geology and Geomorphology • Soils • Groundwater • Landscape • Social Resources • Flora and Fauna (Biological Resources) • Surface Water Quality • Air Quality As discussed in Sections 5.1.2.1 through 5.1.2.3 of this document, the potential for cumulative effects from the second component of the study area on geology, geomorphology, soils, groundwater, and landscape resources was determined to be low. The services provided by each remaining ecosystem (social resources, biological resources, surface water quality, and air quality) were then characterized in terms of their (valued ecosystem) components and the potential pathways that reflect their relationships to well- being (Sections 5.1.2.4 through 5.1.2.7).
4.2.3 Characterizing Cumulative Effects
Cumulative effects can occur in various ways4, and these formed the basis of the assessment process, as follows: • Spatial Overlap o When the footprints of projects coincide, either in terms of the formal, designated boundaries of the projects, or the spatial extent of their impacts. • Physical-chemical transport: o A physical or chemical constituent is transported away from the action under review where it then interacts with another action (e.g., air emissions, waste water effluent, sediment). • Nibbling loss: o The gradual disturbance and loss of land and habitat (e.g., clearing of vegetation). • Spatial and temporal crowding: o Occurs when too much is happening within too small an area and in too brief a period of time. A threshold may be exceeded and the environment may not be able to recover to pre-disturbance conditions. o Spatial crowding results in an overlap of effects among actions (e.g., noise from a road adjacent to an industrial site; confluence of stack emission plumes). o Temporal crowding may occur if effects from different actions overlap or occur before the VEC has had time to recover. • Growth-inducing potential: o Each new action can induce further actions to occur. The effects of these "spin-off" actions (e.g., increased vehicle access into a previously inaccessible
Blanco, S., & Ector, L.. Distribution, Ecology and Nuisance Effects of The Freshwater Invasive Diatom Didymosphenia Geminata (Lyngbye) M. Schmidt A Literature Review. Nova He PDF