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Research about Yellowstone National Park

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Yellowstone National Park.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
USGS1990

Bear use of cutthroat trout spawning streams in Yellowstone National Park

Grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos ) and black bears ( U. americanus ) prey on spawning cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarki , formerly known as Salmo clarki ) in tributary streams of Yellowstone Lake. These tributary streams were surveyed from 1985 to 1987 to determine the presence and level of trout spawning activity and bear use. Indices were developed to enumerate spawner density and levels of bear use. Of 124 known tributaries of Yellowstone Lake, 48% had a spawning run. Of these spawning streams, 93% had associated bear activity, and 61% had associated evidence of bear fishing. Bears were apparently using more spawning streams and fish compared to 10 years earlier. Bear use of cutthroat trout spawning streams appeared to be largely a positive function of volumetric spawner density. We hypothesize that abundance and quality of stream-side vegetation relative to other foraging options influenced bear use. Intra- and interspecific avoidance among bears was suggested by patterns of spawning stream use. Less bear use of spawning streams than expected occurred within 1 km of park developments.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1990

Fluctuating asymmetry and testing isolation of Montana grizzly bear populations

Fluctuating asymmetry of adult skulls was used to test he genetic isolation of the Yellowstone grizzly bear population from its nearest neighbor. An overall summary statistic was used in addition to 16 other parameters. Tests found the males of the Yellowstone populaion to be more vaiable than those of the North Conitinental Divide Exosystem. Evidence for precipitaiton effects is also included. This test tends to support the existing management haypothesis that the Yellowstone population is isolatied.

Yellowstone National Park↗
USGS1990

Food habits of Yellowstone grizzly bears, 1977-1987

Food habits of grizzly bears were studied for 11 years in the Yellowstone area of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho by analyzing scats. Ungulate remains constituted a major portion of early-season scats, graminoids of May and June scats, and whitebark pine seeds of late-season scats. Berries composed a minor portion of scats during all months. The diet varied most among years during May, September, and October, and was most diverse during August. Defecation rates peaked in July and were low in April through June. Among-years differences in scat content were substantial; estimates of average scat composition took 4-6 years to stabilize. Major trends in diet were evident and reflected long-term variation. We suggest that long-term studies are necessary to adequately document bears' food habits in variable environments; the Yellowstone grizzly bears' diet varied with seasonal and yearly availability of high-quality foods, lack of berries and large fluctuations in the size of pine seed crops were major factors limiting bear density in the Yellowstone area, and the availability of edible human refuse buffered the limitations imposed by inadequate berry and pine seed crops prior to the 1970s.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1989

Map showing earthquake epicenters (1964-81) in Yellowstone National Park and vicinity, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana

The earthquake activity in the Yellowstone region is part of a belt of seismicity extending from southern Utah to northwestern Montana. The 1959 magnitude 7.3 Hebgen Lake earthquake is the largest historical event along this trend. Yellowstone National Park is also the focus of extensive Quaternary volcanic activity that relates to a long lived volcanic system that has progressed from southwest to northeast along the trend of the Snake River Plain, ending in a 40 by 70 km caldera formed in a volcanic eruption 600,000 years ago. Thus the seismicity shown on these maps is part of a major tectonic feature of western North America and may also be influenced by or influence the volcanic processes occurring in the region. A more complete description of the geology and geophysics of the Yellowstone region can be found in Smith and Christiansen (1980), Christiansen (1984), and Smith and Brail (1984). The seismicity displayed on these maps occurred over a 17 year period and was recorded at a variety of seismograph stations, which has resulted in much variation in the reliability and completness of the data set. The earthquake epicenter data are presented on 2 maps. Symbols on map 1 identify events by year of occurrence with the symbol size indicating the magnitude range. Symbols on map 2 indicate the reliability of the earthquake epicenters. Variations in the level of seismicity and strain release with time are shown (Fig. 1), as well as earthquake focal-depth cross sections and representative earthquake focal mechanisms (Fig.2).

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1987

Prospects for Yellowstone grizzly bears

Recent analyses of data on the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) population of Yellowstone National Park and its environs suggest the likelihood of a continuing decline in numbers if losses of fully adult females are not reduced. The size of the population is not known, and a simple projection model has been used to identify some inconsistencies in the available index data. Population dynamics calculations, based on Lotka's equation or a stochastic model, indicate a continuing decrease in numbers, although continued observations through radio-telemetry are needed to verify these trends. The margin between stabilizing the population and a continued decrease appears to be roughly the loss of 2 fully adult female bears per year. At present, the risk of extirpation of this population over the next 30 years appears to be small. Continued monitoring of survivorship will be needed, particularly because "recovery" of the population may be mainly characterized by a shift in the pattern of mortality, from adults to subadults, and not necessarily a reduction in absolute number of losses.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1986

Monitoring grizzly bear population trends

A simple different equation model was developed to provide additional perspective on observed mortality and trend data on Yellowstone grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos horribilis ). Records of mortalities of adult females from 1959 to 1985 were utilized, in conjunction with data on females with cubs. The overall downward trend of observed numbers of females with cubs generally agrees with the model calculations but does not adequately reflect mortality from 1970 to 1974. The model may be useful in developing a composite index of population trend.

Idaho;Montana;Wyoming↗
USGS1986

Denning of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone National Park area

Radiotelemetry was used to locate 101 grizzly bear ( Ursus arctos ) dens from 1975 to 1980; 35 dens were examined on the ground. Pregnant females denned in late October, and most other bears denned by mid-November. Duration of denning average 113, 132, and 170 days for males, females, and females with new cubs, respectively. Males emerged from mid-February to late March, followed by single females and females with yearlings and 2-year-olds. Females with new cubs emerged from early mid-April. Den sites were associated with moderate tree cover (26%-75% canopy cover) on 30°-60° slopes. Dens occurred on all aspects, although northerly exposures were most common. Grizzly bears usually dug new dens but occasionally used natural cavities or a den from a previous year. Males usually dug larger dens than females with young. Eight excavated and 2 natural dens of the 35 examined dens were used for more than 1 year.

Idaho;Montana;Wyoming↗
USGS1985

Population dynamics of Yellowstone grizzly bears

Data on the population of grizzly bears in the environs of Yellowstone National Park suggest that the population has not recovered from the reductions following closure of garbage dumps in 1970 and 1971, and may continue to decline. A computer simulation model indicates that the risk of extirpation over the next 30 yr is small, if the present population parameters continue to prevail. A review and further analysis of the available data brings out the importance of enhancing adult female survival if the population is to recover, and assesses various research needs. In particular, a reliable index of population trend is needed to augment available data on the population.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1985

Hydrothermal alteration in research drill hole Y-3, Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Y-3, a U.S. Geological Survey research diamond-drill hole in Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, reached a depth of 156.7 m. The recovered drill core consists of 42.2 m of surficial (mostly glacial) sediments and two rhyolite flows (Nez Perce Creek flow and an older, unnamed rhyolite flow) of the Central Plateau Member of the Pleistocene Plateau Rhyolite. Hydrothermal alteration is fairly extensive in most of the drill core. The surficial deposits are largely cemented by silica and zeolite minerals; and the two rhyolite flows are, in part, bleached by thermal water that deposited numerous hydrothermal minerals in cavities and fractures. Hydrothermal minerals containing sodium as a dominant cation (analcime, clinoptilolite, mordenite, Na-smectite, and aegirine) are more abundant than calcium-bearing minerals (calcite, fluorite, Ca-smectite, and pectolite) in the sedimentary section of the drill core. In the volcanic section of drill core Y-3, calcium-rich minerals (dachiardite, laumontite, yugawaralite, calcite, fluorite, Ca-smectite, pectolite, and truscottite) are predominant over sodium-bearing minerals (aegirine, mordenite, and Na-smectite). Hydrothermal minerals that contain significant amounts of potassium (alunite and lepidolite in the sediments and illitesmectite in the rhyolite flows) are found in the two drill-core intervals. Drill core y:.3 also contains hydrothermal silica minerals (opal, [3-cristobalite, chalcedony, and quartz), other clay minerals (allophane, halloysite, kaolinite, and chlorite), gypsum, pyrite, and hematite. The dominance of calcium-bearing hydrothermal minerals in the lower rhyolitic section of the y:.3 drill core appears to be due to loss of calcium, along with potassium, during adiabatic cooling of an ascending boiling water.

Wyoming↗