Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications

Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
Author: United States. Superintendent of Documents
Publisher:
Total Pages: 1192
Release: 1993
Genre: Government publications
ISBN:

February issue includes Appendix entitled Directory of United States Government periodicals and subscription publications; September issue includes List of depository libraries; June and December issues include semiannual index

Ecological Dynamics on Yellowstone's Northern Range

Ecological Dynamics on Yellowstone's Northern Range
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 199
Release: 2002-02-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309083451

Ecological Dynamics on Yellowstone's Northern Range discusses the complex management challenges in Yellowstone National Park. Controversy over the National Park Service's approach of "natural regulation" has heightened in recent years because of changes in vegetation and other ecosystem components in Yellowstone's northern range. Natural regulation minimizes human impacts, including management intervention by the National Park Service, on the park ecosystem. Many have attributed these changes to increased size of elk and other ungulate herds. This report examines the evidence that increased ungulate populations are responsible for the changes in vegetation and that the changes represent a major and serious change in the Yellowstone ecosystem. According to the authors, any human intervention to protect species such as the aspen and those that depend on them should be prudently localized rather than ecosystem-wide. An ecosystem-wide approach, such as reducing ungulate populations, could be more disruptive. The report concludes that although dramatic ecological change does not appear to be imminent, approaches to dealing with potential human-caused changes in the ecosystem, including those related to climate change, should be considered now. The need for research and public education is also compelling.