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 | Yellowstone: Issues for Study |
The greater Yellowstone area is a highly complex and biologically diverse
ecosystem. It is one of the last ecosystems with an entire pre-European compliment of
species in the lower 48 states. Some of the biological components that are most emblematic
of Yellowstone’s high ecosystem integrity, such as gray wolves and grizzly bears, are
continually shrouded in controversy. Complex issues addressing these fragile resources
present difficult management problems with few easy decisions.
Nathan Varley has been living in the
Yellowstone ecosystem for over 25 years. As a naturalist, his extensive experience
with natural resource controversy has made him an excellent instructor for the issues that
face Yellowstone. As an instructor, Nathan Varley has taught for several
institutions including the Yellowstone Association Institute,
Yellowstone Ecosystem Studies, San Francisco State Wildland Studies, Principia College,
The Jason Project, and other fine institutions of higher learning.
Nathan Varley has joined existing classes on their trips to Yellowstone to
compliment the existing staff, and has also taught groups as the sole instructor for
courses. He offers a range of natural resource topics for study including but not
limited to five major Yellowstone issues that are described below. Detailed subject matter
concerning the complex management issues for each topic focuses on ecological, social, and
political factors that influence management. Study activities combine presentations
by the instructor as well as experts, advocates, and government officials; discussions and
debates facilitated by the instructor; readings that include current articles of relevance
on all sides of the issue; and extensive field work to experience the landscape, habitats
and wildlife.
| Gray Wolf Recovery Rocky Mountain gray wolves (Canis lupus
irremotus) were recently restored to Yellowstone under direction of the 1973
Endangered Species Act. The recovery effort has been tremendously successful and has been
hailed as one of the greatest conservation achievements of the century. Among the results
are a population of ~200 wolves in 15 packs, unprecedented opportunities to observe and
study these predators, and widespread public acceptance. However, the efforts and
achievements are not without detractors including local sportsman and livestock growers
whose opposition have challenged managers to work in difficult situations. Focus will be
on observation of wolves in the field, discussions with wolf biologists and managers, and
conversations with local stakeholders including ranchers, wildlife guides, hunters and
environmentalists. |
| Grizzly Bear Preservation The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos
horribilis) is often thought of as the wild symbol of Yellowstone. It is a top
predator that is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The current
population of grizzlies in the greater Yellowstone area, some 300-500 bears, faces many
impediments to long-term survival. As a population, these bears are slow-growing,
reproducing infrequently. They require large areas to meet their ecological requirements,
yet shrinking habitat through road construction and other human developments has left
fewer places for bears to exist. Many sources of food are unreliable and face a
questionable future as do the bears themselves. Study focuses on travel in grizzly
habitats and management areas, identification of some of the critical bear food sources,
and observation of bears in the field. Biologists and managers will present their
work to understand and preserve the bears of Yellowstone. |
| Mountain Goat Colonization Mountain goats (Oreamnos
americanus) are not considered native species in the greater Yellowstone area. They
were introduced by state game agencies 40-60 years ago to provide recreational
opportunities including hunting. Recently goats have colonized areas of Yellowstone
leaving managers with questions concerning their impact on native communities. The
decision about what to do with the invading goats is muddled in disputes over their exotic
species status, potential damage to ecological resources, resounding popularity among park
visitors, and lack of scientific documentation to guide management. Viewing mountain goats
in their precipitous habitats will accompany discussions of the many issues surrounding
goats in Yellowstone, as well as, the greater issue of exotic species invasions. |
| Bison Migration Yellowstone hosts the last free-ranging
bison (Bos bison) herd in North America. They are managed under a policy of
natural regulation which allows for natural process to determine the size and health of
the herd. But when bison leave Yellowstone and enter the state of Montana they are hazed,
captured, or killed for fear of disease transmission to livestock. Some bison carry a brucella
organism that causes brucellosis, an infectious disease known to cause cattle to abort
their fetuses and to cause undulant fever in humans. However, transmission of the disease
requires conditions that rarely, if ever, occur. The park managers, as well as outraged
animal rights protesters, have fought the practices of the state in an on-going debate
over the future of bison management. Study includes viewing bison herds in
Yellowstone, as well as, visiting areas where bison management takes place to talk with
representatives of the various sides of this contentious issue. |
| Bioprospecting for Thermophilic Organisms Extremophiles,
those organisms that live in extreme conditions, are considered to hold great potential
for future technological discoveries. Modern industry has recently turned to prospecting
in extremophile communities to develop products including chemicals, solvents, and
pharmaceuticals. The potential for great discoveries through this activity, known as
bioprospecting, looms large with thermophilic (heat-loving) organisms that are associated
with Yellowstone’s famous hot springs and geysers. One common bacterium discovered in
Yellowstone, thermus aquaticus, has played a central role in the establishment of
the biotechnology industry by making DNA fingerprinting and PCR replication possible. The
potential for great scientific gains notwithstanding, ethical struggles surround this
issue, primarily in terms of advancements at the expense of Yellowstone’s unique
thermal resources. Time will be spent at several of Yellowstone’s large geyser basins
to learn about thermophilic communities and their potential use. |
For more information on study issues presented by Nathan Varley
contact him:
Nathan Varley
(406) 848 2469
P. O. Box 490 Gardiner, Montana 59030
editor@wolftracker.com
Nathan Varley has lived in the Yellowstone area most of his life. He was
raised in the small community of Mammoth Hot Springs, the park headquarters. He graduated
from Montana State University with BS in biology in 1996. His M. S. degree from the same
university was earned in part through the completion of a mountain goat study in Absaroka
Range of Montana. Following graduation, he worked several years as a field biologist on
the Yellowstone Wolf Recovery Project. Subsequent research and film productions allowed
him to also work with bears, wolves, moose, pine marten and river otters. As an instructor
and guide, he has led courses through the Yellowstone Institute and Yellowstone Ecosystem
Studies in and around the park for the last 6 years.
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