bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Movements and Habitat Use of Boreal Toads in the Snake River Quarry Area
Authors: Harlow Maryanne , Harlow Tyler
Published: July 2020

Nine Boreal toads (Bufo boreas) were captured during the summer of 1999 at the Snake River Quarry and fitted with telemetry transmitters. Locations were determined approximately once each week. Females may be leaving the quarry site around mid-summer while males remain in the area throughout the summer. Toads preferred two aquatic sites until around mid-July then dispersed to dryer terrestrial areas with a preference for 3 sites characterized by loose soil, which provided good burrow shelter. This quarry is to undergo major reclamation efforts. It is recommended to: 1) stay major construction disturbance until the females undertake their seasonal departure from the area, 2 ) preserve the breeding and preferred aquatic habitat and 3) capture male toads from the preferred terrestrial areas and reintroduce them back after reclamation is completed.
Ingestion of Male Hemolymph by Female Sagebrush Crickets: No Evidence of Male-Derived Anti-Aphrodisiacs
Authors: Weddle Carie , Allen Jamie , Jones Hilton , Sakaluk John , Sakaluk Scott
Published: July 2020

Male sagebrush crickets, Cyphoderris strepitans, offer an unusual nuptial food gift to females during copulation: females are permitted to feed on the hind wings of males and ingest hemolymph that flows from the resulting wounds. Johnson et al. (1999) showed that females experimentally precluded from wing feeding during initial copulations were more receptive to subsequent matings than females allowed to obtain a blood meal during initial copulations. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that substances contained in the hemolymph of males and ingested by females during copulation function to decrease female receptivity to further matings, and thereby constitute male manipulation. To test this hypothesis, females were allowed to mate with an initial virgin male whose hind wings had been surgically removed to prevent wing feeding. Following these initial copulations, females were fed one of the following substances: male hemolymph, female hemolymph, or cricket Ringer's solution. Immediately following ingestion of the prescribed substances, females were given the opportunity to remate with novel virgin males whose hind wings had been left intact, and their latency to remating used as a measure of their sexual receptivity. There was no significant difference in latency to remating across treatments, suggesting no effect of hemolymph ingestion on female receptivity. The disparity between the results of the previous study (Johnson et al. 1999) and those of the present one suggest that the nutritional contribution derived through wing feeding, rather than male manipulation of female receptivity via substances in the hemolymph, affect remating propensity of female sagebrush crickets.
A Synthesis of Data, Model-Based Analyses, and Refinements of Possible Management Scenarios for Bison and Elk in the Jackson Valley
Authors: Zeigenfuss Linda , Singer Francis , Rock Michael , Tobler Matt
Published: July 2020

The elk and bison winter ranges in the Jackson Valley lie on a land complex consisting of Grand Teton NP (GTNP), National Elk Refuge (NER), town of Jackson, private ranches, and private housing developments. To reduce conflicts on these private lands, elk and bison are artificially fed alfalfa pellets at several feedgrounds located on the National Elk Refuge, the Gros Ventre Valley (Bridger-Teton NF), and south of the town. The concentrations of elk may be altering vegetation communities, especially riparian willow, aspen, buffaloberry, and other woody shrubs near the feedgrounds. Managers are concerned about these possible alterations. Human developments, human alterations, artificial feeding and high incidence of brucellosis in elk and bison complicate management of free-ranging ungulates in Grand Teton NP and the Jackson Valley. Managers need additional information on predicted land use changes, feeding scenarios, and ungulate-disease relations in the Jackson Valley to guide their management decisions.
Long Term Development of Forest Stand Structure Following Catastrophic Fire in Yellowstone National Park: Do Landscape Legacies Persist?
Authors: Romme William , Kashian Daniel
Published: July 2020

The importance of large, infrequent natural disturbances, particularly as they influence postÂ­disturbance succession, is well recognized. The conceptualization of ecological systems and landscapes as mosaics of patches generated by disturbance emphasizes successional change, which in turn is a major component of ecologists' understanding of disturbance in a landscape context. However, paradigms of succession largely evolved for small-scale dynamics. Subsequently, these paradigms do not adequately predict the spatial variability that occurs within the perimeter of large, infrequent disturbances, nor do they adequately consider the effects of heterogeneity on recovery of the system. Understanding the nature of the disturbance mosaic and the factors controlling landscape patterns are crucial for predicting ecosystem dynamics and vegetation development in disturbance-prone landscapes, and research that addresses these questions remains a priority. Landscape heterogeneity following large, mfrequent fires is represented by a patchwork of burned and unburned vegetation as well as by a mosaic of burn severities (Turner et al. 1997, Romme et al. 1998), so that the mosaic of stand structure and function produced by fire is a legacy of the disturbance itself as well as that of the pre-fire forest. In this sense, large, infrequent fires are thought to impose a persistent influence on landscape pattern. Landscape pattern has large implications for biodiversity, determines the connectivity of habitat, affects the spread of disturbances such as insect outbreaks, and may influence the initiation and spread of small, frequent surface fires by affecting the spatial distribution of fuels. Similarly, spatial heterogeneity in stand structure that exists across a landscape may influence the propagation of crown fires (Van Wagner 1977, Turner and Romme 1994). Clearly, understanding the changes that occur in landscape pattern provides the key to understanding the dynamics of many ecological processes. Our study examines the natural changes that occur in landscape pattern with succession in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) between large, infrequent wildfires. The 1988 fires in YNP created a mosaic of burn severities that produced tremendous variation in density of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) seedlings across the landscape (Turner et al. 1994). Because the Yellowstone mosaic of post-fire seedling densities varies from high-density stands (>50,000 trees/ha), which will inevitably be subject to self-thinning, to low-density stands (
GTNP Breeding Bird Monitoring Project 2001 Season
Authors: Cody M.
Published: July 2020

Overview: GTNP Breeding Bird Monitoring Project: 1. Following initial independent work by M. L. Cody and by funding from NPS, we instigated a scheme for long-term monitoring of breeding land bird populations in a wide variety of habitats representative of the northern Rockies and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). Census sites are located almost entirely within Grand Teton National Park, where a broad range of representative vegetation types is accessible within close geographic proximity. 2. 30 monitoring sites are established within and adjacent to the park in pristine habitat. Sites range from the Jackson Hole lowlands to subalpine and alpine sites, from meadow, sagebrush and marshland, through willow scrub, cottonwood and aspen woodlands, to lodgepole pine and spruce-fir forests. Some sites have a monitoring history of >30y; others were established in the mid-1990's. 3. The location and accessibility of the study sites permits all to be regularly and repeatedly censused during the short (6-week) breeding season. Census sites are standardized in area ( 5- 10 ha in size) and mapped in detail (topographic features, vegetation). Census schedules, timing, and methodological protocols are established, and allow for controlled inter-site and inter-year comparisons in breeding bird populations, species composition, and densities.
Monitoring Selected Species of Mammals in Grand Teton National Park in 2001
Authors: Miller Brian , Harlow Hank
Published: July 2020

Our objective is to establish a long-term monitoring project that will assess the abundance and densities of selected species of mammals at sites representing five defined vegetation types found in Grand Teton National Park. The term monitoring implies data collection over multiple years. Taking long term estimations of population composition before, during, and after biotic and abiotic changes provides needed information to assess the impacts of such changes and furnish useful options for management decisions. This standardized monitoring plan will provide information on small and medium-sized mammals that will (1) assess species use of habitat, (2) monitor changes in species composition as a result of environmental change, such as precipitation and temperature, (3) produce predictive models of small and medium-sized mammal distribution based on vegetation type, and (4) analyze the impact of wolf colonization on the mammal (and plant) community.
Forest Characterization in the Central Plateau of Yellowstone National Park Using Multispectral High Resolution Digital Photography
Authors: Jakubauskas M. , Moskal Ludmila , Houts M. , Price K.
Published: July 2020

Detailed knowledge of forest structure is an important component in research focusing on forest biodiversity monitoring, carbon budgeting studies, fire modeling and forest inventory estimation. In forest inventory mapping, high spatial resolution multispectral imagery are becoming a valuable and often a critical tool to effective resource management planning. In this report, we describe and illustrate the forestry applications of a multispectral digital imaging camera system (DuncanTech MS3100) that was experimentally flown over several study areas in the Central Plateau of Yellowstone National Park, in July, 2001. The purpose of this demonstration is three fold; first we will apply geostatistical methods, co-kriging specifically, to model forest canopy components such as height, canopy thiclmess, species, density and structure; second, we will examine the spectral and spatial characteristics of seedling regeneration in the 1988 burn sites; finally, forest stand characteristics such as stem counts, crown species and amount of deadfall (potential fire fuel) will be estimated for selected sites. Our results will be compared to information acquired from coarser resolution, multispectral Landsat TM data obtained on the same date.
Above-and Belowground Carbon Allocation in Post-Fire Lodgepole Pine Forests: Effects of Tree Density and Stand Age
Authors: Litton Creighton , Knight Dennis , Ryan Michael
Published: July 2020

Validating the different components of the carbon (C) budget in forest ecosystems is essential for developing allocation rules that allow accurate predictions of global C pools and fluxes. In addition, a better understanding of the effects of natural disturbances on C cycling is critical - particularly in light of changes in disturbance regimes that may occur with alterations in global climate. This study investigates the indirect effects of fire on C cycling in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex Wats.) stands in Yellowstone National Park by examining above- and belowground C pools, fluxes and allocation patterns in post-fire stands that vary in tree density and stand age (four forest types: low (50,000 trees/ha) in 13-yrÂ­old stands; and ~110-yr-old mature stands). AboveÂ­ and belowground biomass were estimated to investigate the effect of tree density on biomass partitioning in young stands. The effect of tree density on soil-surface C02 efflux (Fs) and microbial biomass C (Cmic) in young stands was also examined, and data from mature stands were used as a proxy of pre-fire conditions to estimate the extent of ecosystem recovery 13 years after a stand replacing fire. Finally, the effects of tree density and stand age on ecosystem C pools, fluxes and allocation patterns were investigated. Partitioning of biomass to belowground increased with tree density in young stands primarily as a result of inherent differences associated with tree size, not competition. Fs and Cmic increased with tree density in young stands and with stand age, and both Fs and Cmic were correlated exclusively with biotic variables. These findings support recent studies demonstrating the prevailing importance of plants in controlling overall rates of Fs, and suggest that increased decomposition of older, recalcitrant soil C pools is relatively unimportant following fire. Fire, through influences on tree density and stand age, has important and lasting effects on the magnitude of C pools and fluxes in lodgepole pine ecosystems. However, results presented here suggest that overall C allocation patterns following fire are independent of tree density and stand age.
First Season's Progress Report on Vegetation Mapping of Grand Teton National Park
Authors: Jones G. , Ehle D.
Published: July 2020

The National Park Service and the USGS Biological Resources Division have jointly established a program to map the vegetation in all of the Park Service's units with roughly the same methodology and using the same vegetation classification scheme. Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming has been selected for mapping in 2002 and 2003 as part of this national program. At Grand Teton National Park, the Bureau of Reclamation will interpret aerial photos and map the vegetation. The entities mapped by the Bureau will be related to vegetation types from a classification to be produced by NatureServe, an organization representing natural heritage programs and conservation data centers throughout North and Central America. The data on which the vegetation classification is based will be collected by the staff from the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, working with National Park Service and NatureServe scientists. In conjunction with the vegetation classification and mapping, Park Service personnel will produce a model to predict fuel loads throughout the Park. The model will predict amounts and types of fuel in the vegetation classification units, and will elucidate the relationship between fuel loads and variables such as slope, aspect, and elevation. Field work for the Grand Teton National Park Vegetation Mapping Project is to be conducted over three summers. The effort in the first two summers will be dedicated to vegetation data collection, and the third summer will be dedicated to on-the-ground accuracy assessment of the preliminary vegetation map created by the photo interpreters.
Climatic Factors, Reproductive Success and Population Dynamics in the Montane Vole, Microtus montanus
Authors: Pinter Aelita
Published: July 2020

Multiannual fluctuations ("cycles") in population density of small rodents doubtless result from the interaction of a multitude of factors, as evidenced by the variety of hypotheses proposed to explain the phenomenon (for reviews see Finerty 1980, Taitt and Krebs 1985). However, the inability of these hypotheses - alone or in combination - to explain the causality of cycles rests in no small measure with the fact that long-term studies of the phenomenon are notoriously uncommon. The objectives of this project are to continue the long-term study of the population dynamics of the montane vole, Microtus montanus, in Grand Teton National Park. On the basis of earlier observations (Pinter 1986, 1988) particular emphasis will be placed on how environmental variables, possibly acting through reproductive responses, contribute to the population density cycles of these rodents.
Studies of Parasitic Wasps (Braconidae) In Grand Teton National Park
Authors: Shaw Scott
Published: July 2020

A survey of braconid wasps in GTNP and south YNP recognizes 71 genera and at least 150 species. Of these, 100 are new distribution records and at least nine are new (undescribed) species. The species richness of Braconidae in GYE (150 species) is substantially greater than the maximum species richness of all herbaceous plants, shrubs, trees, birds and mammals in lodgepole pine communities of YNP (112 species). This total also substantially exceeds the number of braconid species recorded in fireÂ­disturbed habitats of south YNP (109 species).
Soapstone Research In Memory of J.D. Love, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Authors: Adams Richard
Published: July 2020

Operating under a grant from the University of Wyoming-National Park Service Research Station, personnel from the Office of the Wyoming State Archaeologist and volunteers located andre-recorded two soapstone sources in Grand Teton National Park: 48TE1255 B Slim Lawrence's Asbestos Mine B and 48TE529. Over on the west side of the Tetons, in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, we located and recorded a historic mine, three new prehistoric sites, and a previously unrecorded soapstone source: 48TE1646 - the Rammel Mountain talc mine. Among the six newly discovered sites is 48TE1647, which contains two broken soapstone bowl preforms and a broken vessel associated with other prehistoric artifacts. This is interpreted to be evidence of prehistoric manufacture of soapstone bowls in Wyoming. More work needs to be done at this site as well as other in the Tetons.
Genetic Investigation of Snake River and Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
Authors: Mitton Jeffery
Published: July 2020

The relationship between Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri, and Snake River finespotted cutthroat trout, 0. clarki behnkei, was examined with two mitochondrial DNA fragments, COl and ND5. No variation was found within either subspecies, and just one (out of 1069) nucleotide differed between subspecies. Thus, these subspecies are very closely related. Samples for this study were obtained from hatcheries, and may not be representative of the subspecies. 0. c. bouveri were sampled from the Clark Fork Hatchery, in Powell, WY, and 0. c. behnkei were sampled from the National Fish Hatchery in Jackson, WY. Further sampling, preferably from natural populations, is needed to more thoroughly survey the variation within subspecies, and to measure the differences between subspecies.
How Do Disturbance-Generated Patterns Influence the Spatial Dynamics of Ecosystem Processes?
Authors: Turner Monica , Romme William , Tinker Daniel
Published: July 2020

Our studies following the 1988 Yellowstone fires demonstrated that succession was surprisingly more variable in space and time than even current theory would have suggested, and that initial spatial patterns of disturbance may persist to produce longÂ­lasting changes in vegetation. Our focus now is on explaining the spatial and temporal patterns of succession and understanding how these patterns influence ecosystem function. The most interesting new questions revolve around the degree to which the spatial variation in postfire vegetation in particular, the six orders of magnitude variation in pine sapling density, ranging from 0 to greater than 500,000 saplings/ha controls the spatial variability in ecosystem processes across the landscape. In our current research, we are conducting studies in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks to answer four major questions:
Measurements of Bed Load Transport on Pacific Creek, Buffalo Fork and The Snake River in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.
Authors: Erwin Susannah , Schmidt Jack
Published: July 2020

Dams disrupt the flow of both of water and sediment through a watershed. Channel morphology is a function of discharge and sediment load, and perturbations caused by dams often alter channel form, causing significant geomorphic and, potentially, ecological changes (e.g. Petts and Gurnell, 2005). At the first order, dams often produce a flow regime that is profoundly altered in the timing, magnitude, and frequency of flows (Magilligan and Nislow, 2005). Yet, the nature of channel adjustments will be specific to both the physical setting, size of the river, dam characteristics, and nature and severity of the flow regulation (Church 1995; Knighton, 1998).
Fire and Carbon Cycling in the Subalpine Forests of Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Kashian Daniel , Tinker Daniel , Turner Monica , Romme William , Ryan Michael
Published: July 2020

Our research group carried out two projects through UW-NPS and the AMK Ranch in 2007, a field study (project #1) and a workshop for managers (project #2). In 2004 we had initiated a field study of carbon stocks along a replicated chronosequence of stands in Yellowstone National Park that had burned at varying times from ca. 1700 AD through 1988. In each stand we measured all of the major carbon pools (including live biomass, dead biomass, and soil carbon) to characterize changes over time in net ecosystem production (the net balance between carbon uptake and loss from an ecosystem). These empirical data were then used to evaluate the potential effects of changing climate and changing fire frequency on how the Yellowstone landscape as a whole functions as either a carbon sink or a carbon source in the global carbon cycle.
General Floristic Survey of Grand Teton National Park and Vicinity, Wyoming
Authors: Hartman Ronald , Scott Dave
Published: July 2020

A broad-scale floristic inventory of all vascular plants was proposed for Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway (JDR) primarily to document the extant flora in remote backcountry areas. The Teton Mountains are floristically important because of the unique habitats which they contain, because their relatively undisturbed (human disturbance) condition, and because of their proximity to the Yellowstone Plateau, a floristically unique area of Wyoming. Many studies have explored these lands for purposes of vegetation characterization (Cogan et al. 2005, McCloskey 2006) though an explicit and complete plant inventory parkwide had never been undertaken.
Immuniological Costs of Mating to Male Sagebrush Crickets
Authors: Leman Joseph , Weddle Carie , Ower Geoff , Sakulak Scott
Published: July 2020

Male sagebrush crickets, Cyphoderris strepitans, offer an unusual nuptial food gift to females during mating: females chew on the ends of the males' fleshy hind wings and ingest hemolymph seeping from the wounds they inflict. Previous research has shown that once a male has mated, his probability of obtaining an additional copulation is reduced relative to that of a virgin male seeking to secure his first mating, a pattern known as the virgin-male mating advantage. One hypothesis that may explain this phenomenon is that mated males experience an energetically costly immune response via their wounds and therefore may be unable to sustain the costly acoustical signaling needed to attract additional females. To distinguish between the effects of mounting a costly immune response and the costs of producing a spermatophore, we mimicked a nonÂ­virgin mating status by injecting virgin males with bacterial lipopolysaccharides, a non-living elicitor of several immune pathways. After they had been treated, males were released in the field and recaptured over the course of the breeding season to monitor their mating success. Contrary to our prediction, LPS injected males did not take longer to secure matings than sham-injected virgin males. However, a companion study revealed that immunochallenged virgin males spent significantly less time calling (as assayed using time-lapse video photography) than shamÂ­control virgin males. This confirms work in other cricket species showing a decline in mating effort following an immune challenge.
Genetic Diversity and Gene Flow in Yellowstone Basin Pronghorn (Antilocapra Americana)
Authors: Barnow-Meyer K. , Byers J.
Published: July 2020

Yellowstone National Park's northern range is home to a geographically isolated population of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) greatly reduced from historic levels of abundance. The genetic consequences of demographic declines in this population over the past 150 years are unknown, and the rates of genetic exchange among this and other populations in the Yellowstone basin are also unknown. We used 18 nuclear DNA microsatellite loci and noninvasively collected fecal samples from 73 individuals to quantify basic population genetic parameters and gene flow within and among the Yellowstone pronghorn population, a new population in the Paradise Valley, and a large population near Livingston, MT. Evidence for a genetic bottleneck in Yellowstone was strong based on several tests of heterozygote excess (Wilcoxon tests Pâ¤ 0.033) and the relative ratio of allele richness to allele size range (M =0.283). However, mean population heterozygosity was high (HO = 0.665), and no indications of inbreeding were detected. Gene flow from elsewhere in the Yellowstone basin to Yellowstone National Park is extremely low. However, emigration from Yellowstone to the Paradise Valley population is high (26.7%), reinforcing conclusions based on behavioral data that this new population was founded by Yellowstone individuals. Despite years of population decline and genetic isolation, Yellowstone pronghorn appear to retain substantial genetic diversity.
Epigaeic Ant Communities Along a Soil Moisture Gradient in Grand Teton Montane Meadows
Authors: Robinson Wayne , Debinski Diane
Published: July 2020

Climate change has become a major concern for scientists and resource managers across the globe. Whilst there is much speculation about the pending magnitude of the changes and their ecological effects, there is an urgent and undeniable need to have sound ecological monitoring programs in place in sensitive areas. Montane meadows in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) are inhabited by short-lived plants and highly mobile animal species that can exhibit quick changes in distribution patterns relative to environmental changes (Debinski et al. 2000, Debinski et al. 2002). Thus, they can provide an early warning system for other ecosystems across the globe. Currently, the extent and range of climatic changes that will occur in montane meadows are unknown.
Uplift and Denudation of the Teton Range, Wyoming
Authors: Tranel Lisa , Brown Summer , Spotila James
Published: July 2020

Our research group is interested in understanding the development of the dramatic relief of the Teton Range. In similar settings worldwide, relief has been examined as product of uplift and denudation. Therefore, we are combining tectonic and geomorphic studies to identify the progression of erosional processes from glacial to interglacial climates and also to refine the uplift history. By integrating these fields, we hope to gain a better understanding of the evolution of the Teton landscape.
Elk Ranch Determination of Eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places
Authors: Humstone Mary
Published: July 2020

During summer 2010, the University of Wyoming American Studies Program conducted an intensive cultural landscape survey and historical analysis of the Elk Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. Led by Research Scientist Mary Humstone, students documented the ranch landscape and remaining buildings. They conducted research in local archives to uncover the history of the ranch and determine its significance in the history of Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. The team determined that the property is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, with significance in agriculture and conservation.
Slope Failures and Cross-Valley Profiles, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Authors: Marston Richard , Weihs Brandon , Butler Willaim
Published: July 2020

This project described and explained the pattern of slope failures (falls, slides, flows, snow avalanches) and the shape of valley cross-profiles in five canyons of Grand Teton National Park. Shapefiles were created in ArcMap 9.3 for slope failures using existing data sets plus newly mapped failures. Valley cross-profiles were prepared for 44 locations in the canyons using digital elevation models (DEMs). The distribution of slope failures were found to be related, to various degrees, to slope aspect, distance from the Teton Fault, rock mass strength, Schmidt rock hammer values, and slope gradient. Shape files were generated that show sections of hiking trails and camping zones that have been impacted by past events. Valley cross-profiles are best represented by a parabolic curve, and the value of the coefficient in the equation describing those curves is related to Schmidt rock hammer values and rock type. These findings have direct implications for backcountry recreation in the canyons and for visitor interpretation of canyon scenery.
Short-Term Survival Estimates of the New Zealand Mud Snail (Potamopyrgus Antipodarium) in Polecat Creek
Authors: Tibbets Teresa
Published: July 2020

Invasive species are one of the primary threats to native biodiversity worldwide (Mack et al. 2000). Two main goals of invasion biology are to identify the mechanisms that determine which introduced species become invasive, or reach pest status, and which systems are susceptible to invasion (Heger and Trepl 2003). Therefore, it is vital to understand how invasive species sustain positive population growth rates in their introduced range. In this study, I estimated in situ survival of the invasive mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarium, in order to assess the population viability and life history patterns of this species in the Greater Yellowstone Area. The mean percent survival of P. antipodarium was 86% during the two-week study period. The field survival data is currently being used to construct a demographic population model of how P. antipodarum populations under different environmental conditions.
Uranium and Thorium Decay Series Isotopic Contraints on the Source and Residence Time of Solutes in the Yellowstone Hydrothermal System
Authors: Moloney Timothy , Sims Kenneth , Kaszuba John
Published: July 2020

Hydrothermal fluids in Yellowstone National Park have widely varying chemical composition. Heat and volatile flux from the hydrothermal system can be estimated by monitoring the composition and volume of emitted hydrothermal fluid, but the source of solutes in hydrothermal fluid is often nebulous and the geochemical processes that affect the nuclides are poorly understood. Measurements of 220Rn and 222Rn activity in hydrothermal fluids and of CO2 flux from fumaroles and hot springs were carried out in Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 2010. We observed a weak relationship between (220Rn/222Rn) and CO2 flux, which indicates that CO2 acts as a carrier gas to bring radon to the surface, but the radon is sourced from aquifer rocks rather than magma. If radon reaching the surface were sourced from magma below Yellowstone, there would be a stronger correlation between (220Rn/222Rn) and CO2 flux. Measurements of 223Ra, 224Ra, 226Ra, 228Ra, and major solute chemistry in hot spring waters support the hypothesis that the time scale of solute transport from the deep hydrothermal reservoir is long compared to the half lives of 220Rn and 222Rn, which are useful for processes operating on the time scale of 5 minutes to 20 days. Radium isotope activities in hot springs indicate that the solute transport time varies significantly from region to region, indicating that circulation in some areas operates on the time scale of 224Ra/223Ra (20-55 days) and circulation in other areas operates on the time scale of 228Ra/226Ra (25-1600 years). The radium isotope composition of hot spring water is also influenced by differences in regional aquifer rocks and geochemical processes such as sorption and mineral precipitation. In summary, geochemical and hydrothermal processes in Yellowstone operate on many different time scales and in diverse geologic conditions, but radionuclide activities possess excellent potential to study these complex phenomena.
Comparing Stream Invertebrate Assemblages Before and After Wildfire in Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Tronstad Lusha , Bish J. , Hall Robert , Koel Todd
Published: July 2020

Warmer, dryer climate conditions during the past 3 decades are thought to have increased severe fires in the western United States. Severe fires may change food webs due to altered light levels, nutrient concentrations, and hydrology in streams. To measure how wildfire changes stream food webs, we collected aquatic invertebrates before and after a fire, and calculated their density. To investigate the effects of wildfire on streams, we collected aquatic invertebrates from Cub Creek on the east side of Yellowstone Lake before and after the East Fire. The timing of our study was serendipitous with the fire burning after our first year of collecting samples. Therefore, we collected one year of data prior to the wildfire (2003) and 2 years of data after the fire (2004 and 2005). The East Fire was a crown fire that set ablaze >9000 hectares and burned 95% of the watershed of this stream. Working in Yellowstone National Park is opportune, because few other perturbations exist and the effects of wildfire can be easily studied. We analyzed the samples to understand how wildfire alters stream invertebrates. Our specific questions are: 1.) What effect did wildfire have on the density of aquatic invertebrates? 2.) How did the composition of aquatic invertebrates change before and after wildfire? Results from our study will inform managers about how the food base for fish (i.e., aquatic invertebrates) changes after wildfire.
Identifying Tributaries to Jackson Lake Important for Snake River Cutthroat Trout Recruitment
Authors: Carleton Scott
Published: July 2020

Across their range, native salmonid species are imperiled due to habitat loss, alteration, and competition with non-native salmonids. New challenges, such as the effects of climate change on stream flow and water temperature create new problems for these species and highlight the importance of understanding their juvenile and adult life histories. Specifically, identifying life history movement patterns as it relates to spawning sites and juvenile rearing streams. We measured strontium isotope values of 13 tributaries and mainstem waters of the lower Snake River and Jackson Lake as well as otoliths collected from resident/juvenile cutthroat trout to determine if we could find unique isotopic signatures throughout the watershed. Strontium isotope values were similar for otoliths and water samples collected at the same location. Strontium isotope yielded unique isotope values across the watershed and between tributaries and the Snake River and Jackson Lake. Only three tributaries were undifferentiated using strontium stable isotopes. These were Pilgrim, Dime, and Sheffield Creeks. Due to their close proximity geographically and their geologic similarities it is not surprising we were unable to differentiate these three tributaries from each other. Future work using trace element analysis might provide further differentiation between these three creeks. Using this new information, we can now begin to look at adult cutthroat from Jackson Lake and the Snake River and determine their natal origins and fidelity to spawning tributaries. Using this information, managers can guide conservation efforts for cutthroat trout in the Jackson Lake watershed.
Influence of Spring Weather Conditions on Breeding Bird Densities in GTNP
Authors: Cody Martin
Published: July 2020

The thaw came very late to Jackson Hole in 2011, with snow melt-out on May 15th. This year shares with 2008 and 2010 the claim of the latest spring over recent decades. The spring snow melt-out is a function of both accumulated snowfall and spring temperatures. A second measure of the advent of spring is the accumulation of growing degree-days (GDD); GDD finally exceeded 225 (Â°F; 125 Â°C) on June 23rd, that value being a predictor of 90% leaf-out in aspens. As is usual in late years, overall species richness and total bird density were generally lower across most park habitats. In particular, the foliage insectivores of the deciduous habitats, such as warblers and vireos in willows, aspens and cottonwoods, were much reduced in density (by as much as 50%). Sagebrush habitats, where snow persists longer in late springs and where most species feed on the ground early in the breeding season, were the most impoverished. In two such monitoring sites, #4 (Jackson Lake Junction Grass-sage) and #6 (Airport Sage), there were 1/4 to 1/3 fewer species present respectively, and bird densities were reduced to 43% and 39% of long-term averages for the sites.
Comparing Stream Invertebrate Assemblages Before and After Wildfire in Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Tronstad Lusha , Bish J. , Hall Robert , Koel Todd
Published: July 2020

Warmer, dryer climate conditions during the past three decades are thought to have increased severe fires in the western United States. Severe fires may change food webs due to altered light levels, nutrient concentrations, and hydrology in streams. To measure how wildfire changes stream food webs, we collected aquatic invertebrates before and after a fire, and calculated their density and biomass. To investigate the effects of wildfire on streams, we collected aquatic invertebrates from Cub and Little Cub Creeks on the east side of Yellowstone Lake before and after the East Fire. The timing of our study was serendipitous with the fire burning after our first year of collecting samples. Therefore, we collected one year of data prior to the wildfire (2003) and 2 years of data after the fire (2004 and 2005). The East Fire was a crown fire that set ablaze >17,000 acres and burned â¥95% of the watersheds of these streams. Working in Yellowstone National Park is opportune, because few other perturbations exist and the effects of wildfire can be easily studied. We analyzed the samples to understand how wildfire alters stream invertebrates. Our specific questions were: 1) What affect did wildfire have on the density and biomass of aquatic invertebrates? 2) How did the composition of aquatic invertebrates change before and after wildfire? Results from our study will inform managers about how the food base for fish and many birds (i.e., aquatic invertebrates) changes after wildfire.
The Effects of a Complex Trophic Structure of Mammalian Host Species on the Ecology on Emerging Infectious Diseases
Authors: Gutierrez Leticia
Published: July 2020

The benefit of a complex, intact community for maintaining ecosystem health in the face of emerging infectious disease risk has not been deeply explored. The diversity and distribution of haemoparasites in potential host mammal fauna are virtually unknown, and many diseases endemic to North America are not well understood in terms of transmission factors, prevalence, and contagion. Many of these tick and rodent borne pathogens nowadays are considered to be potential emerging infectious diseases that could spread to adjacent areas and new hosts, including humans, with climate change, land-use shift, and the expansion of distributions of the natural vectors of such haemoparasites. This study examines the effect of mammal community complexity in maintaining ecosystem health with respect to rodent/tick-borne diseases which have a high value for human public health as zoonotic diseases as well as for the unknown natural history of the mammalian community network.
Special Topics in Biology: Ecology of Greater Yellowstone
Authors: Stancampiano Tony , Jones Rick
Published: July 2020

Special Topics in Biology: Ecology of Greater Yellowstone is a freshman level, non-majors biology course emphasizing basic ecological principles with specific application to the ecosystems found in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. This course is offered during Maymester at Oklahoma City University. The field portion of the course took place from May 22-31, 2012.
Central Place Foraging Characteristics of Beavers (Castor Canadensis) and Habitat Modeling in Grand Teton National Park
Authors: Gribb William , Harlow Henry
Published: July 2020

A significant role of the National Park Service in the United States is the preservation of pristine landscapes. The natural landscape offers the visitor the opportunity to enjoy the wonders of nature and its processes to create beautiful vistas, soaring mountains, and the interplay of vegetation communities. The visitor to the park can be a passive recreationist and observe the landscape or be an active recreationist and experience the landscape through hiking, biking, mountain climbing and a range of other activities. The key linkage between the active and passive recreationist is the landscape that they are experiencing, in one perspective or the other. Any disruption of that natural landscape diminishes the experience. Unfortunately, the perception of the disruption varies with each individual. The trail to get to a scenic vista can be overlooked by some observers, while others believe it is an example of the devastation of human impact.
Identifying Avian Community Response to Sagebrush Vegetation Restoration in Grand Teton National Park
Authors: Johnson Tracey , Chalfoun Anna
Published: July 2020

Approximately 50-60% of native sagebrush steppe has been lost to non-native grasses, which has contributed to population decreases for sagebrush-associated songbirds. Removal of non-native grasses and restoration treatments may return structure and function of sagebrush steppe and ultimately benefit songbirds, but their responses must be evaluated. To determine breeding songbird community responses to sagebrush restoration treatments, in 2013 we conducted bird surveys at restored plots at the Kelly Hayfields restoration area in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. We compared bird communities and vegetation characteristics in restored plots to plots that were unrestored and to areas of native sagebrush steppe as starting and endpoints for restoration, respectively. Unrestored plots were dominated by non-native grasses; restored plots were dominated by forbs and bare ground and had very little shrub cover (< 0.1%). Native sagebrush plots were dominated by shrubs and native bunchgrasses. Bird community composition was distinct among the three types of plots. Abundance of grassland birds was highest in unrestored plots, and was positively related to cover of non-native grass and litter depth. Abundance of shrubland birds was highest in native sagebrush, and was positively associated with shrub cover. There were very few detections of birds in restored plots, and most species were negatively associated with the high levels of bare ground that characterized these plots. Restored areas may initially (â¤5 yrs) provide little breeding bird habitat, which should be accounted for when determining schedules of restoration treatments at Kelly Hayfields.
Preliminary Study of the Influence of Conductivity and Calcium Concentrations on the Density and Species Richness of Native and Invasive Gastropods in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Authors: Larson Michele , Beauvais Gary
Published: July 2020

Freshwater gastropods are a diverse taxa that inhabit a wide variety of freshwater habitats (Lydeard et al. 2004, Strong et al. 2008). Freshwater gastropods often form narrow endemic ranges (Strong et al. 2008) with many species restricted to a single drainage or an isolated spring (Brown et al. 2008). In North America, over 60% of freshwater snails are listed as imperiled or presumed extinct (Lysne et al. 2008). The main factors for the reduction in snail biodiversity are habitat loss, water pollution, and the introduction of invasive species (Strong et al. 2008). Invasive species can dramatically alter the native community by reducing biodiversity and changing ecological processes (Alonso and Castro-Diez 2008). The effects of invasive species on aquatic ecosystems are often permanent and lead to reductions in biodiversity due to predation and competition with native species (Alonso and Castro-Diez 2008, Lysne et al. 2008, Strayer 1999). Invasive gastropods impact native ecosystems by altering carbon and nitrogen levels (Hall et al. 2003, Arango et al. 2009), consuming large amounts of primary producer biomass (Hall et al. 2003, Riley et al. 2008, Strayer 2010), and changing native macroinvertebrate community composition (Kerans et al. 2005, Riley et al. 2008, Cross et al. 2010, Brenneis et al. 2011).
Describing the Mountainsnails (Oreohelix Sp.) of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Authors: Tronstad Lusha , Beauvais Gary , Serb Jeanne , Roe Kevin
Published: July 2020

Invertebrates are receiving an increasing amount of conservation attention across North America. Currently, about 40% of the animals listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) are invertebrates (www.NatureServe.org). The National Park Service and other agencies require better information on invertebrate faunas in order to effectively conserve this important group of animals. One way to prioritize invertebrate groups for study is to assess the number of rare taxa within a given genus. In this context, Oreohelix (mountainsnails) are a top priority because the genus is assumed to support a very high percentage of rare and endemic taxa. Additionally, Oreohelix species in Wyoming and surrounding states have been petitioned for ESA listing in the recent past. The diversity of Oreohelix forms in Wyoming is not well-understood, and the current taxonomy may not reflect the true pattern of diversity within the state. Therefore, we are studying both the morphology and genetic structure of Oreohelix in Grand Teton National Park to begin to understand the diversity of mountainsnails in the state. We collected Oreohelix from 4 locations in Grand Teton National Park. Based on shell and internal characteristics, all individuals were identified as O. subrudis. We are currently preparing specimens for DNA sequencing.
Exploring the Physiological mechanisms and Ecological Consequences of Energetic Tradeoffs: An Integative Study of the Influences of Avian Malarial Infection on Thermogenic Performance
Authors: Carling Mathew
Published: July 2020

Survival in variable environments often requires careful allocation of resources to competing physiological and behavioral functions. Because these competing processes often have additive energetic costs (Hawley et al. 2012), a limited resource pool forces individuals to make difficult trade-off decisions regarding energetic investments (Lochmiller and Deerenberg 2000). These trade-offs are a cornerstone of life-history theory that is aimed at determining the optimal allocation strategies in variable environments (Ricklefs and Wikelski 2002), and understanding their physiological and ecological consequences has renewed poignancy in the face of the unprecedented rate of anthropogenic environmental change occurring across the planet.