bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Status of Contaminants in Bald Eagles and Wildland Firefighters in the Teton Ecosystem
Authors: Montopoli George , Harlow Hank , Smith, MD W. , Wheeler, MD A. , Byerly Andy , Montopoli Michelle
Published: July 2020

Advancing global climate change and associated desiccation of temperate and boreal forests, exacerbated by extensive clear-cutting, may increase poisoning of aquatic ecosystems with high levels of contaminants, especially Hg. We report on contaminants identified in nestling bald eagles and wildland firefighters of the Teton Ecosystem (Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and the Snake River Unit (SRU), Wyoming) during summers of 2006, 2007 and 2008. In bald eagles, we focus primarily on mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se) because each was detected in all nestlings during all summers at moderate levels. In wildland firefighters, we report primarily on Hg due to potential contamination from Hg when fighting fires and ingesting smoke and particulates produced by those fires. We feel that studying Hg both in the eagles and humans simultaneously is a better indicator of the general health of the environment than studying them separately. Both humans and bald eagles occupy top tiers on the food web, and intricately reflect the status of the environment. Results of the bald eagle analyses showed trends indicating increases in Hg and Pb from 2006 to 2007, and decreases from 2007 to 2008. Selenium essentially remained constant from 2006 to 2007 and increased from 2007 to 2008. In wildland firefighters, Hg appears to be elevated in those firefighters who are exposed to significant levels of smoke and particulates, both in 2007 and 2008. Conjectures about firefighters, however, are not statistically significant due to small sample sizes and logistical problems. Encouraging trends in bald eagle contaminant levels from 2007 to 2008 suggest reduction (or stabilization) of contaminant concentrations in the Teton Ecosystem. We also encourage the continued elimination of Pb attributable to humans (lead ammunition, lead shot, etc.) from the Teton Ecosystem. We encourage periodic monitoring of contaminants in the Teton Ecosystem, minimally at five-year intervals (Harmata 1996), unless unexpected events mandate more immediate monitoring. In wildland firefighters, we suggest a well-designed, comprehensive research study for summer 2009, to immediately address future ecological issues that are emerging due to climate change.
Creating a Vision of Grand Teton National Park - Preserving the Photographs of Harrison R. Crandall
Authors: Barrick Kenneth
Published: July 2020

Harrison and Hildegard Crandall arrived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1922âthe beginning of a pivotal and turbulent period in local history. Some of the valleyâs homestead and ranch traditions were about to be transformed into what is now the Grand Teton National Park. Harrison (or âHankâ as he preferred) and Hildegard (or âHildaâ as Hank preferred) lived through it allâswept up in the local saga of dry homesteading. However, the Crandall family homestead, located in the shadow of the Grand Tetons, was just the beginning. Hank carved out a more permanent place for his family in the landscape they loved by inventing a way to make a living as the Grand Teton National Parkâs official photographer and resident artist. The Crandall family operated their art studios in the Park for a total of 34 years. A summary of the life, times, and art of the Crandall family is provided in an earlier edition of the UWâNPS Annual Reports (Barrick 2008). Today, Hankâs photographic legacy provides a way for Jackson Hole residents and Grand Teton visitors to enjoy early scenes of the Park.
ENSO Signals Contribute to Variations in Breeding Bird Densities in Grand Teton Nationl Park
Authors: Cody Martin
Published: July 2020

We have monitored breeding bird densities over a variety of sites and habitats in GTNP since the early 1990s, utilizing fixed-area census sites of around 5 ha in size. The sites are located throughout the park in all habitat types and over a wide range of elevations, and number 30 in all. At some of these monitoring sites we have accumulated data in successive breeding seasons for almost two decades; the power of these census data in interpreting variation in bird species composition and breeding densities, species to species, site to site, and especially year to year, clearly increases with the span of the data set. Some of the measured variation in breeding densities is presumably attributable to conditions encountered by resident birds during the preceding winter, on-site in GTNP. Some may be attributable to conditions evaluated by migrant birds returning to GTNP after wintering elsewhere, also an on-site contribution. However, a further potential source of variation is off-site, and may be ascribed to conditions endured by the migrants on their wintering grounds. It is the source and extent of such variation in the winter habitats of GTNP migrants that is the subject of the ensuing discussion.
An Examination of Reproductive Phenology with Implications for Understanding Climate Change Effects
Authors: Sherwood Jill , Debinski Diane
Published: July 2020

Climate change has impacted ecological systems in a variety of ways, leading to advancement in spring events, shifts in species distributions, and changes in phenology (the timing of life history events) for many plants and animals. Earlier spring temperatures have been correlated with earlier emergence of a number of butterfly species in Europe. It is possible that changes in the spring could also influence the timing of events throughout the season. The Clodius Parnassian (Parnassius clodius) butterfly has one flight per year that averages 3 weeks in length. The males emerge first, followed shortly by the females. Reproductive success of these butterflies depends on the timing of emergence and mating events. A disturbance in the timing of emergence between males and females could cause an incomplete temporal overlap between the sexes, leading to reproductive asynchrony. Reproductive asynchrony occurs when males and females within a population do not overlap completely in time, and it can significantly affect population dynamics of species with narrowly defined breeding periods, such as univoltine butterflies. Our research examined how climate change may influence flight time and mating success in Parnassius clodius butterflies. A mark-recapture study to assess timing of emergence and mating success was performed in Grand Teton National Park. Six plots were surveyed daily for Parnassius clodius butterflies using mark recapture techniques during the annual flight period from late June until mid-July 2009. Each captured butterfly was marked with a permanent marker on both of its hindwings prior to release. The sex and wing condition of each butterfly was determined and recorded at time of capture. A total of 838 butterflies were marked during the 2009 flight period, with a recapture rate of 26%. Preliminary examination of the data reveals the expected pattern of male emergence prior to female emergence. The emergence times appear consistent with other survey years. We also observed a small number of unmated females at the end of the season. Further data analysis needs to be performed before any additional conclusions can be made. This study provides a baseline understanding of climatic and phenological trends in an effort to understand how gender-specific emergence times and mating status of a common species of butterfly (Parnassius clodius) may be affected by climatic changes.
Life History in a Copepod (Leptodiaptomus Ashlandi) Following the Invasion of Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming
Authors: Krist Amy , Tronstad Lusha , Julien Heather , Koel Todd
Published: July 2020

Introduced, non-native predators often impact native species and ecosystems. These effects can be particularly devastating to native organisms because they are often naÃ¯ve to the effects of non-native predators (Park 2004, Lockwood et al. 2007). Interestingly, naÃ¯ve prey are more common in freshwater than in terrestrial ecosystems (Cox and Lima 2006). For example, introduced predators in lakes have caused local extinctions of native animals (e.g., Brooks and Dodson 1965, Witte et al. 1992) and altered food webs (e.g., Witte et al. 1992; Tronstad, Hall, Koel, in review). Because predators eliminate a prey's fitness, predation is an important selective force. Selection on prey can occur directly on morphology, behavior and life-history traits by altering the mean expression of a trait in a population. Selection on prey can also act indirectly, favoring phenotypic plasticity which ameliorates the effects of predation. Thus, among the many impacts of non-native predators in their introduced range, these animals can alter the morphology, behavior and life-history traits of their prey (e.g., Reznick and Endler 1982, Crowl and Covich 1990, Skelly and Werner 1990, Krist 2002).
Looking for a Long-Term Record in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: The 2010 Field Season at The Stinking Springs Rockshelter, Teton County, Wyoming.
Authors: Cannon Kenneth , Cannon Molly
Published: July 2020

The mountainous environment of northwestern Wyoming is not known for the preservation of organic remains, specifically that of vertebrate species. The paucity of vertebrate remains has hampered the ability of researchers to understand the evolution of the Quaternary mammalian community, which is in sharp contrast to the detailed understanding of the regionâs geologic, climatic, and vegetation history. The few sites that have produced vertebrate remains have been largely confined to dry caves and rockshelters in the surrounding region and a few open air archaeological sites. In southern Teton County we have located a large rockshelter at the mouth of Hoback Canyon that presents a unique opportunity to recover a long-term mammalian record documenting Quaternary paleoecological change. Hand augering in 2006 revealed evidence of intact, datable strata likely to yield a robust mammalian faunal record. A radiocarbon age of 4210 Â± 50 yrs BP was obtained from Ponderosa pine charcoal at a depth of 90 cm below surface, suggesting a record extending at least to the mid-Holocene. In 2010, the Utah State University Field School conducted limited controlled excavations in two 1m2 units. Excavations produced additional evidence of stratified deposits to a depth of 1.9 m. Remains recovered include lithic debitage, hearth features, faunal remains, and a possible large mammal processing area. Two specimens, one on Pinus charcoal from a depth of 1.9 m and a portion of a bighorn sheep mandible from 1.0 m, were submitted for radiocarbon assay. The ages are 4350 Â± 25 yrs BP and 3360 Â± 25 yrs BP, respectively. The size, geology, and setting above the Hoback River in a natural bottleneck between ungulate winter and summer ranges make the Stinking Springs rockshelter an excellent candidate for archaeological and paleoecological investigation. Proposed future investigations are designed to assess the rockshelter for the presence of preserved vertebrate remains and the depositâs potential to address a number of key issues of how the mammalian community developed during the Quaternary in relation to large-scale (e.g., glaciation) and small-scale climatic (e.g., post-glacial maximum warmth, Little Ice Age) shifts. The anticipated record will not only provide information on the mammalian community structure, but will also provide a paleoecological model for understanding the economies of precontact Native American groups who lived in the region, and will also provide key information that can be applied to future management of threatened species and their habitat (e.g., pronghorn antelope).
A Conceptual and Mechanistic Approach to Understanding Interactions Among Multiple Disturbance Agents: Compound Effects of Fire on Resource Availabilty to Bark Beetles
Authors: Raffa K. , Townsend Phil
Published: July 2020

The objective of our project has been to determine the effects of fire on bark beetle populations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Our general hypothesis has been that fire damaged trees provide refugia for mountain pine beetles (D. ponderosae) that allow populations to persist during non-outbreak periods. Our work combines field testing of bark beetle populations within a range of forests from burned to unburned, as well as spatial analyses (remote sensing) to determine whether the forest more proximal to fires have greater incidences of beetle mass attack. New efforts have focused on determining whether lodgepole pine (P. contorta) and whitebark pine (P. albicaulis) have differing chemical defensive capacities to beetle attack.
Interactions Between the Invasive New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus Antipodarum) and a Native Snail (Fossaria Bakerilymnaea Bulimoides Group) in the Greater Yeelowstone
Authors: Thon Heather , Krist Amy
Published: July 2020

Understanding invasive species impacts is critical to determining how an ecosystem may function after an introduction. Invasive species can alter the structure and function of ecosystems, reduce biological diversity, and alter communities through predation, facilitation and competition. In the past 30 years, the invasive New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) has established in areas of conservation concern in the American West including Yellowstone National Park. To develop a greater understanding of the impact of P. antipodarum on the native co-occurring snail, Fossaria (Bakerilymnaea) bulimoides group, we conducted two experiments to assess the interactions occurring between these snails. We found that F. bulimoides growth was reduced by all interactors, but especially by P. antipodarum. In addition, growth of F. bulimoides was much more affected by high biomass of snails than P. antipodarum. P. antipodarum grew more in the presence of interactors and their growth was facilitated by the presence of the native snail F. bulimoides.
Ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Field Research and Conservation
Authors: Carleton Scott
Published: July 2020

During June, 2010 six wildlife students from Laramie, WY traveled to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks for a 10 day course on the Ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The course focused on the vegetation, animals, geology, and management challenges for each park. For each of the components, a student gave a brief introduction to the class on the topic we would be exploring that day.
Field Research and Conservation
Authors: Collis Chuck , Storms Katie
Published: July 2020

Field Research & Conservation emphasizes long-term field research experiences, examines ecosystem processes, and explores the evolution of American perspectives about nature.
Elk Ranch 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 offered âField Studies in Historic Preservation: Elk Ranch Determination of Eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places.â This 3-credit, upper-level undergraduate course introduced students to the process of documenting, evaluating and understanding historic buildings and cultural landscapes through field work. The course included readings, lectures, discussions, directed field work, archival research and writing. Students were given the opportunity to assist in fulfilling a contract with the National Park Service and to learn about how the park manages its historic and cultural resources. The course was taught by Research Scientist Mary Humstone, with assistance from University of Wyoming American Studies Folklife Specialist Andrea Graham and NPS Cultural Resource Specialist Katherine Longfield.
Identification of Interflow Pathways and Potential Wetland Sites in the Kelly Hayfields
Authors: Marlow Clayton , Anderson Dustin
Published: July 2020

In support of Grand Teton National Park Service plans to restore the Kelly Hayfields to pre-homesteading conditions an inventory of soils and associated vegetation was conducted over a two year period, 2010 and 2011. Measurements from 37 soil pits and 19 associated vegetation descriptions revealed little evidence for the presence of riparian wetlands anywhere within the historic hayfields. The exception was a small area near the north eastern end of Blacktail Butte. Faint soil redoximorphic features associated with about 5% wetland indicator plant cover implies the existence of riparian wetlands at the time of homesteading. Differences in soil texture across the hayfields indicates that a mosaic of herbaceous and mountain big sagebrush/grass communities existed when agricultural conversion began. Based on these results Grand Teton National Parkâs restoration efforts should focus on re-establishment of sagebrush-grassland complexes.
Evaluation of Non-Motorized Use in Grand Teton National Park Phase II: Post Pathway Construction 2012
Authors: McGowen Pat , Gleason Rebecca
Published: July 2020

The 2006 Transportation Plan for Grand Teton National Park proposed 22.5 miles of multi-use pathways outside the road to enhance safety and mobility for travelers using non-motorized modes of transportation in the most visited and developed areas of the park. (Grand Teton National Park Transportation Plan 2006, 2007). Construction of the Phase I Pathway, a 7.7-mile segment between Dornanâs Junction and South Jenny Lake Junction along Teton Park Road began in June 2008 (Figure 1). This report summarizes research conducted by the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University before and after this construction occurred. Researchers counted non-motorized travelers, primarily bicyclists and pedestrians, and administered surveys to learn about visitor perceptions regarding the conditions for non-motorized travel in the park. The primary purpose of this research was to compare the conditions before and after Phase I Pathway was constructed. These results also offer a âpoint-in-timeâ glimpse of current non-motorized usage of this region of the park.
Does Wildfire Increase the Risk of Moutain Pine Beetle Outbreaks in Lodgepole Pine Forests of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?
Authors: Raffa K. , Townsend P. , Powell E.
Published: July 2020

We examined whether wildfire injury increased lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta, susceptibility to mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, how it affects beetle reproduction, whether this interaction differs between endemic and epidemic populations, and how wildfire influences tree defense physiology. Wildfire predisposed trees to mountain pine beetle attack. In particular, fire-injured trees had a lower ability in synthesized monoterpenes in response to simulated attacks than did non-injured trees. However, beetles responded in a non-linear fashion; moderately-injured trees were most preferred. This interaction was influenced by beetle population size. Healthy and fire-injured trees were attacked when populations were high, but no healthy trees and no severely-injured trees were killed when populations were low. Beetle brood production per female was also curvilinear being highest in moderately-injured trees. This reflected a trade-off between high intraspecific competition arising from the large number of beetles needed to overcome defenses in healthy trees, and high interspecific competition and low substrate quality in severely injured trees. These results suggest that fire-injured trees can provide a resource for mountain pine beetles during the extended periods when populations are not high enough to overcome defenses of vigorous trees. But the likelihood that populations could transition from endemic to epidemic levels due to increased tree susceptibility from wildfire is constrained by the opposing factors of lower nutritional quality and more competition load in severely-injured trees, and the relatively low incidence of moderately-injured trees. Wildfire may cause some reproductive increases in populations that are already in outbreak mode.
Song, Dance, and Smell Routine? Interpreting the Content and Function of Multimodal Signals in a Songbird, the Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco Hyemalis)
Authors: Reichard Dustin , Drouilly Marine , Whittaker Danielle , Ferguson Stephen
Published: July 2020

The study of animal communication has been dominated by a focus on signal types that are easily recognized and quantified by human observers. This approach has inevitably limited our ability to identify cryptic signals such as low-amplitude vocalizations and signals that transmit beyond the range of our sensory system, such as most olfactory signals. Only recently with the development of new technologies and less biased sampling techniques have we begun to unravel the importance and function of these non-traditional signal types. Here we report the results of two experiments focusing on poorly studied signals using a common songbird, the dark-eyed junco. We investigated the effect of low-amplitude song on male physiology and the occurrence of bill-wiping behavior during courtship and aggressive interactions. Preliminary results suggest that males do not alter their plasma testosterone or corticosterone levels in response to a song playback of high-amplitude or low-amplitude song, indicating that a stronger stimulus may be necessary to affect circulating hormones. Males that received intrusions of a live male or female conspecific performed significantly more bill-wiping in response to the female conspecific, suggesting that bill-wiping may be an important and overlooked courtship signal in this species.
The Role of Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus) in Shaping Spatial Patterns of Serotiny in Lodgepole Pine (Pinus Contorta) Forests
Authors: Talluto Matt , Benkman Craig
Published: July 2020

Understanding the effects of individual species on community- and ecosystem-level processes is of critical importance in ecology. Recent work has demonstrated that variation in genetically controlled traits within foundation species can have large implications for ecosystem processes. Identifying these traits and the selective pressures on them is crucial in understanding how ecosystems are structured and how the systems will respond to disturbance. Serotiny, the long-term storage of seeds in the canopy, is thought to be an adaptation to stand replacing fire. Seeds from serotinous plants are released following a fire, and the proportion of serotinous trees determines sapling density following a fire. The effects of serotiny are not limited to the serotinous species, as sapling density is an important determinant of plant community structure and ecosystem processes (including primary productivity and nutrient cycling). Seed predation may select against serotiny, however, no studies have addressed how the relative strengths of selection from fire and seed predation combine to produce the spatial pattern of serotiny on the landscape. Here, we report on an ongoing study of the effects of selection from seed predation in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), a serotinous North American conifer. Red squirrels are negatively associated with serotiny at broad geographic scales, and may select against the serotinous trait. This project examined the correlation between red squirrel density and the frequency of serotiny in lodgepole pine forests and the mechanisms underlying potential selection against serotiny by red squirrels. Specifically, we tested whether this correlation was present at landscape scales, whether the fitness of serotinous trees was reduced in the presence of red squirrels, and what factors controlled the density of red squirrels. Preliminary results indicate that serotiny and squirrel density is negatively correlated, but only at low elevations. In the presence of squirrels, we observed significantly lower cone survival in serotinous trees, suggesting reduced fitness. Squirrel density was strongly affected by several measures of forest structure, including species composition, overhead canopy cover, and tree size (mean DBH).
Lichen Species Diversity Yellowstone National Park Gloria Site
Authors: Kuhn Bernadette , Stevens Joe
Published: July 2020

Alpine ecosystems are important monitoring targets for examining climate-induced changes of vegetation cover, species composition, and species migration. In 2011, we installed alpine monitoring sites in Yellowstone National Park for the Rocky Mountain Inventory and Monitoring Network. The site was established using the protocol developed by the Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments [GLORIA] (Grabher et al. 2000). Here, we present a summary of the lichen species diversity documented within these monitoring plots, as well as the summary of field work completed for the GLORIA project in 2011. We report on the results of 40 numbered collections of lichens collected at four alpine sites in the Absaroka Range, Yellowstone National Park. A total of 21 unique taxa were documented. Of these, 6 are new to the documented lichen flora of Yellowstone (Eversman 1998, Eversman et al. 2002).
Ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Authors: Carleton Scott
Published: July 2020

During June, 2010 six wildlife students from Laramie, WY traveled to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks for a 10 day course on the Ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The course focused on the vegetation, animals, geology, and management challenges concerning the parks. For each of the components, a student gave a brief introduction to the class on the topic we would be exploring that day. Students learned to identify trees using dichotomous keys and then spent the day in the field performing vegetation transects in recently burned to mature forests within the parks. Students then used their data sets to make inferences into species composition and the process of succession across the landscape. Students learned about individual tree life histories. including the role of serotiny in early forest successional stages following a fire.
Utah State University: Watershed Sciences Graduate Student Introduction Course
Authors: Wheaton Joseph , Belmont Patrick
Published: July 2020

State University Department of Watershed Sciences runs an introductory course for all incoming graduate students (13 in Fall 2011) immediately prior to each Fall semester. The course is an intense, five day introduction to the fundamental concepts of Watershed Science, as well as the people of the Department of Watershed Science and the techniques they use in research. The course begins with one day focused on water quality and wetlands at Cutler Reservoir in Logan, Utah, then one and a half days focusing on collection of fish, remotely sensed data, and topographic surveys in the Logan River watershed, followed by one and a half days discussing landscape organization and evolution and making field observations in the Grand Teton region. We use AMK Ranch for lectures, discussions, group dinners, sleeping quarters, and as a central base for Teton area activities, including rafting on the Snake River
Spatio-Temporal Evolutionary Dynamics in Natural Butterfly Populations (2012 Field Season)
Authors: Gompert Zachariah , Lucas Lauren
Published: July 2020

The study of evolution in natural populations has advanced our understanding of the origin and maintenance of biological diversity. For example, long term studies of wild populations indicate that natural selection can cause rapid and dramatic changes in traits, but that in some cases these evolutionary changes are quickly reversed when periodic variation in weather patterns or the biotic environment cause the optimal trait value to change (e.g., Reznick et al. 1997; Grant and Grant 2002). In fact, spatial and temporal variation in the strength and nature of natural selection could explain the high levels of genetic variation found in many natural populations (Gillespie 1994; Siepielski et al. 2009). Long term studies of evolution in the wild could also be informative for biodiversity conservation and resource management, because, for example, data on short term evolutionary responses to annual fluctuations in temperature or rainfall could be used to predict longer term evolution in response to directional climate change. Most previous research on evolution in the wild has considered one or a few observable traits or genes (Kapan 2001; Grant and Grant 2002; Barrett et al. 2008). We believe that more general conclusions regarding the rate and causes of evolutionary change in the wild and selectionâs contribution to the maintenance of genetic variation could be obtained by studying genome-wide molecular evolution in a suite of natural populations. Thus, we have begun a long term study of genome-wide molecular evolution in a series of natural butterfly populations in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA). This study will allow us to quantify the contribution of environment-dependent natural selection to evolution in these butterfly populations and determine whether selection consistently favors the same alleles across space and through time.
Studies of Parasitic Wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Association with Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak
Authors: Haimowitz Larry , Shaw Scott
Published: July 2020

A survey of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Grand Teton National Park reveals undiscovered (but not unexpected) diversity, as well as changes in diversity associated with the bark beetle epidemic and the unusually warm, dry year. Our 2012 survey found nearly the same number of Braconidae subfamilies (18 vs 19) as a 2002 survey (Shaw 2002); a remarkable amount of diversity given that the 2002 survey was based upon five times as many specimens. Eleven species found in this study are new distribution records for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), which points to much undiscovered local diversity. Differences from previous studies are possibly due to the unusual warmth and dryness of spring 2012, along with some influence from beetle kill. We provide a list of parasitoids and predators associated with mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), a stepping stone for further research to determine the role of natural enemies in bark beetle outbreak dynamics in the GYE.
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 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 (Figure 1.). The timing of our study was serendipitous with the fire burning after our first year of collecting samples. Therefore, we collected samples prior to the wildfire (2003), and 1 (2004), 2 (2005), and 9 years post fire (2012). 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 was opportune, because few other perturbations existed and the effects of wildfire can be easily studied. We analyzed the samples to understand how wildfire altered 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.
Creating Communication Conduits: a Greater Yellowstone Science Learning Center Internship
Authors: Perry Elizabeth
Published: July 2020

Communicating scientific endeavors in a manner accessible to researchers, managers, and the public alike is an important, yet often neglected, aspect of conducting studies. For research carried out on Americaâs public lands, including the National Park Serviceâs, this communication is even more important, as we are all owners and stewards of these magnificent ecological and cultural landscapes. This summer, I worked with The Greater Yellowstone Science Learning Center, Grand Teton National Park, and researchers from across the country to augment and enhance the information about current park studies and resource status reports available to the Science Learning Centerâs website visitors. This addition of pertinent information to the website is of value to all those interested in the socio-ecological landscapes the National Park Service is tasked to conserve, scientific studies occurring in Grand Teton National Park, and potential implications of these studies and findings beyond park boundaries. The additions not only reach those who are currently invested in stewardship of our national parks, but also potential stewards with whom we have the unique opportunity to communicate with digitally, vastly expanding science communication and involvement opportunities.
Wyoming Inbre Community College Network Retreat AMK Ranch (UW-NPS Research Center)
Authors: Seville R.
Published: July 2020

The Wyoming INBRE Community College network meets yearly to present research taking place throughout the state. The focus is on undergraduate research taking place at the community colleges throughout Wyoming. The students present on their individual projects and faculty present on their research and partnerships they have formed. This is also a time for students and faculty to collaborate on projects statewide.
Paths of Recovery: Landscape Variability in Forest Structure and Function 25 Years after the 1988 Yellowstone Fires
Authors: Turner Monica , Hansen Winslow , Whitby Timothy , Romme William , Tinker Daniel
Published: July 2020

Understanding succession following severe wildfire is increasingly important for forest managers in western North America and critical for anticipating the resilience of forested landscapes to changing environmental conditions. Successional trajectories set the stage for future carbon storage, abundance and distribution of fuels, and habitat for many species. Early successional forests are increasing throughout the West in response to greater fire activity, but few long-term studies have considered succession following stand-replacing wildfires over large areas. The size and heterogeneity of the 1988 Yellowstone fires created novel opportunities to study succession at an unprecedented scale following severe fire, and we have studied the consequences of these fires for >20 years. In 2012, we began a re-sampling effort in long-term vegetation plots within the area burned by the 1988 fires to answer three overarching questions: (1) Are stand structure and function beginning to converge twenty-five years after the Yellowstone Fires, and what mechanisms may contribute to convergence or divergence? Heterogeneity in forest structure was the rule after the 1988 fires, and postfire lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) densities ranged from zero to >500,000 trees/ha. The post-1988 cohort of lodgepole pine is reaching a time of critical transitions in structure and function. (2) Are plant community composition and species richness converging or diverging across gradients in local fire severity, post-fire lodgepole pine density, elevation and soil type a quarter-century after the 1988 fires? A central objective in our research has been to understand the relative influence of contingent factors (e.g., local fire severity) vs. deterministic factors (e.g., elevation, soils) on postfire ecosystem development, and how these influences may change through time. (3) How do canopy and surface fuels vary across the postfire landscape, and how will the variation in fuels influence potential fire behavior a quarter century post-fire? Field sampling was conducted for this third question during summer 2012, and data analyses and interpretation are in progress. Overall, results from the proposed study will enhance understanding of succession after one of the most notorious fires of the 20th century. Yellowstoneâs postfire forests may serve as benchmarks for forests throughout the region and effective sentinels of change for the Rockies.
Pictorialism in the American West
Authors: Sailor Rachel
Published: July 2020

Early twentieth century (1900-1945) photography of northwestern Wyoming (including the Teton and Yellowstone areas) fits into a paradigm of regional photographic production that either conforms to the documentary or pictorial aesthetics most common in the era. Pictorial photography, especially, links the region to larger trends in the nation and can be analyzed to uncover previously unexamined assumptions about the value of photographic aesthetics and regional production within the milieu of fine art photography in the United States prior to WWII.
UW-NPS Wilderness Internship
Authors: Glendenning Shannon
Published: July 2020

In the summer of 2013, projects regarding wilderness in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway (Parkway) and Grand Teton National Park (Park) were researched and completed. The researcher worked under the direct supervision of Shan Burson, bioacoustics ecologist and wilderness coordinator for Grand Teton National Park, and with the staff of the Science and Resource Management Division of Grand Teton National Park. The main goal of the wilderness internship was the drafting of a wilderness eligibility assessment for the Parkway. Secondary tasks included research and recommendations for wilderness management in the Park.
Field Research and Conservation
Authors: Collis Chuck , Adams Jennifer
Published: July 2020

The Field Research & Conservation class emphasizes long-term field research experiences, examines ecosystem processes, and investigates the evolution of American perspectives about nature. Our time spent at the UW-NPS research station was divided between pursuing behavioral ecology research and exploring Grand Teton National Park and the surrounding area to gain understanding of how the region was shaped, both by geological and biological process as well as political processes that have been shaped by Americaâs ever-changing conservation ethic.
University of Wyoming Outdoor Studio Art Class
Authors: Kikut Patrick
Published: July 2020

Since its inception as a Summer Innovative Course in 2000, the Department of Art Summer Outdoor Studio class has been exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to stay and work at the AMK Research Station as part of the three week summer intensive course. For art students, the dramatic setting and accommodation are inspiring and it is a highlight of the experience. From the AMK Ranch, students have full access to Grand Teton NP, Yellowstone NP as well as the National Wildlife Museum in Jackson. Last year we scheduled a docent tour of the Wildlife museum and attended an informative lecture on Native Art in the National Parks at the Coulter Bay Visitors Center. Art students appreciate the interaction with student researchers from different science disciplines. Often those conversations have direct impact on the creative work students produce during their stay. The AMK staff and, in particular, Professor Hank Harlow have offered us incredible hospitality and generosity. Professor Harlowâs knowledge of the geology, biology, and history of Grand Teton National Park is invaluable to this course. Also, his enthusiasm for art and scientific research is infectious. Our stay at the AMK always culminates in an exhibition of student and faculty creative work, hosted by Hank Harlow, UW NPS Research Station Director.
Front Matter and Table of Contents
Authors: Bergman Harold
Published: July 2020

This entry contains the front cover and front matter.
Measuring the Morphology and Dynamics of the Snake River by Remote Sensing
Authors: Legleiter Carl , Overstreet Brandon
Published: July 2020

The Snake River is a prominent, central feature of Grand Teton National Park, and this dynamic fluvial system maintains diverse habitats while actively shaping the landscape. Although the riparian corridor is relatively pristine, the Snake River is by no means free from anthropogenic influences: streamflows have been regulated since 1907 by Jackson Lake Dam. Among dam-controlled rivers in the western U.S., the Snake River is unique in that tributaries entering below the dam supply sufficient coarse bed material to produce a braided morphology. As a result of tributary inputs, sediment flux along the Snake River has been relatively unaffected by Jackson Lake Dam, but flow regulation has reduced the magnitude and altered the timing of streamflows. In this study we are coupling an annual image time series with extensive field surveys to document channel changes occurring on the Snake River. Our objective is to quantify how snowmelt runoff events and flow management strategies influence patterns of sediment transfer and storage throughout the river system, with a particular focus on tributary junctions. More specifically, we are using the image sequence to identify areas of erosion and deposition and hence infer the sediment flux associated with the observed changes in channel morphology. This analysis will improve our understanding of the riverâs response to flow management and enable us to generate hypotheses as to how the system might adapt to future anthropogenic and/or climate-driven alterations in streamflow and sediment supply. In addition, our research on the Snake River involves an ongoing assessment of the potential to measure the morphology and dynamics of large, complex rivers via remote sensing. A new aspect of this investigation involves estimating flow velocities from hyperspectral images that capture the texture of the water surface. Extensive field measurements of velocity and water surface roughness are being used to develop this innovative approach and thus increase the amount of river information that can be inferred via remote sensing.
Kelly Warm Springs Historical Data Summary: Progress Report
Authors: Anderson Paige , Farag Aida , Harper David
Published: July 2020

Kelly Warm Springs is a unique geological feature located within Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. The Kelly Warm Springs area is used extensively by park wildlife, for recreation by park visitors, and is a place of educational interest. It has also been the site of historic non-native fish releases. The current work was initiated to gather historical information and to begin systematic documentation of temperatures in and around Kelly Warm Springs. Historic information that was not published but considered valid was included. Non-native fish presence was first documented in the 1960s. Concerns about non-native fish and habitat loss for native species were discussed by researchers in the 1980s. The temperature ranges recorded at several sites October â December 2014 approached 0oC at the lower section of the outflow channel, but remained above 20oC in the spring pond. While these range below the preferred temperature range for goldfish, research has documented survival in near zero temperatures. All sites located below Mormon Row where temperature loggers were initially deployed were either dewatered or frozen by mid-November.
The State-Dependent Resource Allocation Hypothesis: Implications for the Foraging Ecology and Life History of Migratory Ungulates in the GYE
Authors: Kauffman Matthew , Monteith Kevin , Jesmer Brett
Published: July 2020

Understanding the behavioral and physiological responses of animals to environmental stressors is vital to our comprehension of their ecology and life history. The life-history strategy of ungulates is for females to prioritize survival over reproductive effort to maximize life-long fitness (Stearns 1992, Eberhardt 2002, BÃ¥rdsen et al. 2008). Consequently, an individualâs reproductive decisions are expected to be dependent on nutritional state (BÃ¥rdsen et al. 2008). Researchers have long assumed that individuals reduce their metabolism and energy expenditure to conserve nutritional reserves (i.e., fat and protein) during winter because winter has been demonstrated to be a period of energetic loss for temperate ungulates. Recent research, however, has shown that mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in a poor nutritional state are capable of increasing their nutritional reserves over winter (Monteith et al. 2013), and hormone analysis of moose (Alces alces; Jesmer et al. in review) indicates that animals with low nutritional reserves have high energy expenditure and energy intake. Therefore, regulation of nutritional state through plasticity in foraging behavior may allow animals to cope with resource shortages. We refer to this notion, wherein animals alter their energy intake and expenditure via foraging behavior as the State-Dependent Resource Allocation Hypothesis (Figure 1). In 2014 we proposed to apply state-of-the-art nutritional, isotopic, and hormone analyses to test the State-Dependent Resource Allocation Hypothesis (SRAH) in migratory mule deer within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Assessing Functional Role and Community Dynamics of Whitebark Pine at Alpine Treeline, Grand Teton National Park
Authors: Resler Lynn , Shao Yang
Published: July 2020

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is a keystone and foundation tree species in high elevation ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains. At alpine treelines along the eastern Rocky Mountain Front and in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, whitebark pine often initiates tree islands through facilitation, thereby shaping vegetation pattern. This role will likely diminish if whitebark pine succumbs to white pine blister rust infection, climate change stress, and mountain pine beetle infestations. Here, we established baseline measurements of whitebark pineâs importance and blister infection rates at two alpine treelines in Grand Teton National Park. Our specific objectives were to: 1) examine the potential relationship between whitebark pine establishment and krummholz tree island formation at the upper alpine treeline ecotone in GTNP; 2) characterize blister rust infection rate and intensity at two treeline study areas and in whitebark pine growing both solitarily and within tree islands; and 3) characterize the biophysical environments a) where whitebark pine is/is not a majority tree island initiator, and b) with varying blister rust infection rates in treeline whitebark pine. In July 2015, we field-sampled treeline composition and blister rust infection in all krummholz whitebark pine in a total of 40 study plots. Preliminary results reveal: 1) that whitebark pine is a substantial component of treeline ecosystems, but is not a significant majority tree island initiator, and 2) blister rust infection levels for both study areas combined is 15.65%. Blister rust and mountain pine beetle interactions were not evident at the two study areas. This work provides important baseline measurements for understanding how community structure and composition may be altered given infestation by pathogens and pests in GTNP, especially in light of changing climate regimes.