scholarly journals Development of A Potential Beaver Habitat Model For the Snake River Basin in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 26-32
Author(s):  
William Gribb ◽  
Henry Harlow
Keyword(s):  
Water Flow ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Castor Canadensis ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Habitat Model ◽  
Snake River ◽  
Grand Teton National Park

Our National Parks house some of North America's most undisturbed habitat and offer a benchmark for comparing ecosystem dynamics with areas more influenced by human related perturbations. Dam construction has altered water flow patterns on many of our country's rivers resulting in species composition changes of aquatic plants, invertebrates and fish. Semi-aquatic mammals such as otters and beaver are also profoundly influenced by the irregular seasonal flow patterns resulting from reservoir release schedules. For example, Jackson Lake dam was constructed in 1910 resulting in the impoundment of an additional 625,000 cubic feet of water. Since its construction and the establishment of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), this water has been released during mid- to late summer months causing unpredictable fluctuations of river levels after the normal spring run off. This unpredictability is illustrated by the trend in water flow on the Snake River at Moran for the period 1904-2000 (Figure 1). A species that has received little attention in terms of population numbers and resistance to abnormal water fluctuations resulting from Jackson Dam is the beaver (Castor canadensis). In GTNP, only the work of Collins (1976) has provided any significant knowledge of the distribution and habitat of the beaver in the Park. In fact, the beaver has been generally overlooked in the Greater Yellowstone Area with only a few studies conducted in Yellowstone (Warren, 1926; Jonas, 1955; Consolo-Murphy and Hanson, 1993 ).

scholarly journals River Reach Delineations and Beaver Movement in Grand Teton National Park

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 37-47
Author(s):  
William Gribb ◽  
Henry Harlow
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Single Channel ◽  
Wave Length ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Snake River ◽  
River Continuum ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Meandering Channel ◽  
River Reach

This project had two components, with the first component providing a background for the second component. Water resources in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) are both unregulated and regulated by human management. The Jackson Lake Dam and the ponds scattered across the park influence the flow of water. In the process of managing the water it is important to have knowledge of the different components of the streams through which the water flows. One component of this project was to examine the different segments of the major rivers in GTNP and identify the river forms that are displayed by the different reaches of the Snake River above and below Jackson Lake, Buffalo Fork and Pacific Creek. The river form can be segregated into three main categories; the single channel, the meandering channel and the braided channel (Knighton 1984). The different river forms are part of the overall structural composition of the river and can be used to delineate the segments or reaches of the river. The river continuum concept presented by Vannote et al. (1980) provides a theoretical background upon which to construct the river reach system. In 2007, Nelson (2007) completed a reach system project while investigating the fluvial geomorphology of the Snake River below Jackson Lake Dam (Figure 1.). His 20 river reaches provided a zonation of the river that incorporated a range of geomorphic features. This same type of system can be used throughout the GTNP so that researchers have a common spatial unit designation when referencing portions of the Snake River and its tributaries. Ackers (1988) in his work on alluvial channel hydraulics identified three dimensions of meanders that should be considered; width, depth and slope. He further agreed with Hey (1978) that there are nine factors that define river geometry and that these should be considered as well: average bank full velocity, hydraulic mean depth, maximum bank full depth, slope, wave length of bed forms, their mean height, bank full wetted perimeter, channel sinuousity and arc length of meanders. Nelson’s work (Nelson 2007) added another parameter by including a braiding index into the representation of river reach designations. In a more recent work, the Livers and Wohl (2014) study confirmed Nelson’s approach by comparing reach characteristics between glacial and fluvial process domains using similar reach designation characteristics to determine reach differences.

scholarly journals Hybridization of Snake River Cutthroat in the Lower Gros Ventre River

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 110-113
Author(s):  
Ryan Kovach ◽  
Lisa Eby
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
National Park ◽  
Cutthroat Trout ◽  
Snake River ◽  
Oncorhynchus Clarki ◽  
Oncorhynchus Clarkii ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Water Diversions ◽  
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout ◽  
Special Concern

The cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki is Wyoming's only native trout. The Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) is designated as a "species of special concern" by a number of agencies and conservation groups. Although the Yellowstone cutthroat trout has recently avoided federal listing because of robust headwater populations (USFWS 2006), they face continued threats across their range. The fine-spotted Snake River native trout is a morphologically divergent ecotype of the Yellowstone subspecies, although it is not genetically distinguishable (Allendorf and Leary 1988, Novak et al. 2005). The Gros Ventre, an important tributary of the Snake River located partially in Grand Teton National Park, historically supported robust populations of fine­ spotted Snake River cutthroat trout. Principal threats to Gros Ventre native trout, especially in the lower end of the drainage within the park boundaries, include both water diversions (loss of water and fish into irrigation ditches) and presence of exotic species.

scholarly journals Effects of Domestic Livestock and Native Wildlife Grazing in Grand Teton National Park

1993 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 91-95
Author(s):  
Michael Smith ◽  
Jerrold Dodd ◽  
Paul Meiman
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
National Park ◽  
Mule Deer ◽  
Snake River ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Jackson Hole ◽  
Domestic Livestock ◽  
Wildlife Populations

The Snake River plains and foothill areas of Jackson Hole have been grazed by domestic livestock since settlement of the area. Wildlife populations, including elk, mule deer, and antelope have historically used and continue to use the area. Moose are currently relatively abundant and a small herd of bison have been introduced. Currently, livestock use part of the area contained in Grand Teton National Park either as a concession or due to authorization by Park enabling legislation. Park managers need information concerning the effects of grazing by large ungulates on vegetation resources to assist in effectively managing grazing to service forage needs and achieve desired plant community goals.

scholarly journals Tracing the cultural history of upper Snake River guides in Grand Teton National Park

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 108-115
Author(s):  
Yolonda Youngs
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Cultural History ◽  
National Park ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Snake River ◽  
World War ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

This study traces the development and evolution of Snake River use and management through an in-depth exploration of historic commercial scenic river guiding and concessions on the upper Snake River in Grand Teton National Park (GRTE) from 1950 to the present day. The research is based on a combination of methods including archival research, oral history analysis, historical landscape analysis, and fieldwork. I suggest that a distinct cultural community of river runners and outdoor recreationalists developed in Grand Teton National Park after World War II. In GRTE, a combination of physical, cultural, and technical forces shaped this community’s evolution including the specific geomorphology and dynamic channel patterns of the upper Snake River, the individuals and groups that worked on this river, and changes in boat and gear technology over time. The following paper presents the early results from the first year of this project in 2016 including the work of a graduate student and myself. This study offers connections between the upper Snake River and Grand Teton National Park to broader national trends in the evolution of outdoor recreation and concessions in national parks, the impact of World War II on technological developments for boating, and the cultural history of adventure outdoor recreation and tourism in the United States.   Featured photo by Elton Menefee on Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/AHgCFeg-gXg

scholarly journals Environmental noise influences song frequency of Yellow Warblers (Dendroica petechia) in Grand Teton National Park

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 79-90
Author(s):  
Charles E. Taylor ◽  
Yi-Ju Wang ◽  
Martin L. Cody
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
National Park ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Dendroica Petechia ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Minimum Frequency ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Yellow Warblers ◽  
Song Frequency

We explored how Yellow Warblers (Dendroica petechia) alter their songs when encountering noise in Grand Teton National Park. Different strategies for avoiding signal masking are used by other species of birds, yet there is a lack of information of birds’ responses to higher noise levels–above 65 dB; such levels are often found in National Parks that have many visitors. In this study, we investigated singing behavior of Yellow Warblers when facing noise that ranged from 30 dB to 80 dB. In these preliminary results, we found that some features of Yellow Warblers did not appear to change with background noise level, including mean minimum frequency, bandwidth and song length. Other song features we studied did show small but statistically significant changes with higher background noise, including the peak frequency and the mean minimum frequency, both of which were significantly negatively correlated with the level of background noise. This result is different from the positive correlations that are typically observed. We speculate that this difference is due to the very high dB levels of background noise that we observed.   Featured photo bywagon16 on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/G2W6Bk

The Impact of Concessioners on Sustainability in and around U.S. National Parks: A Case Study of Grand Teton National Park Concessioners

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Qwynne Lackey ◽  
Kelly Bricker
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
National Park ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Private Industry ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
The Impact

Concessioners play an important role in park and protected area management by providing visitor services. Historically, concessioners were criticized for their negative impacts on environmental sustainability. However, due to policy changes, technological advances, and shifting market demands, there is a need to reevaluate the role of concessioners in sustainable destination management in and around parks and protected areas. The purpose of this qualitative case study situated in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), which was guided by social exchange theory, was to explore U.S. national park concessioners’ influence on sustainable development at the destination level from the perspective of National Park Service (NPS) staff, concessioners, and local community members. Sustainability was examined holistically as a multifaceted construct with integrated socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental dimensions. Twenty-three participants completed semistructured interviews. Researchers identified four thematic categories describing concessioners’ influence on sustainability; motivations and barriers to pursuing sustainability initiatives; and situational factors that facilitated concessioners’ sustainability actions. While participants commented on the negative environmental impacts of concessioners and their operations, these data suggest that concessioners were working individually and collaboratively to promote environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural sustainability in and around GTNP. Some concessioners were even described as leaders, testing and driving the development of innovative sustainability policies and practices. These actions were motivated, in part, by contractual obligations and profit generation. However, concessioners also had strong intangible motivators, such as intrinsic values and a strong sense of community, that drove their positive contributions to sustainability. Based on these data, we recommend that those involved in future theoretical and practical work with concessioners acknowledge the importance of both tangible and intangible motivators when attempting to promote higher levels of sustainability achievement and collaboration. This will become increasingly important as land management agencies continue to embrace strategies beyond the traditional “parks as islands” approach to management. Additionally, future work should explore more specifically the role of policy, conceptualizations of sustainability, and private industry sponsorship in promoting concessioners’ contributions to sustainability, especially in collaborative settings. This work is needed to understand if and how these observations generalize to other contexts.

scholarly journals Environmental noise influences song frequency of Yellow Warblers (Dendroica petechia) in Grand Teton National Park

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 118-129
Author(s):  
Yi-Ju Wang ◽  
Charles E. Taylor ◽  
Martin L. Cody
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
National Park ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Dendroica Petechia ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Minimum Frequency ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Yellow Warblers ◽  
Song Frequency

We explored how Yellow Warblers (Dendroica petechia) alter their songs when encountering noise in Grand Teton National Park. Different strategies for avoiding signal masking are used by other species of birds, yet there is a lack of information of birds’ responses to higher noise levels -- above 65 dB; such levels are often found in National Parks that have many visitors. In this study, we investigated singing behavior of Yellow Warblers when facing noise that ranged from 30 dB to 80 dB. In these preliminary results, we found that some features of Yellow Warblers did not appear to change with background noise level, including mean minimum frequency, bandwidth and song length. Other song features we studied did show small but statistically significant changes with higher background noise, including the peak frequency and the mean minimum frequency, both of which were significantly negatively correlated with the level of background noise. This result is different from the positive correlations that are typically observed.  We speculate that this difference is due to the very high dB levels of background noise that we observed.   Featured photo by wagon16 on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/G2W6Bk

scholarly journals Effects of Domestic Livestock and Native Wildlife Grazing in Grand Teton National Park

1991 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 165-168
Author(s):  
Michael Smith ◽  
Jerrold Dodd ◽  
Uyapo Omphile ◽  
Paul Meiman
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
National Park ◽  
Mule Deer ◽  
Snake River ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Jackson Hole ◽  
Domestic Livestock ◽  
Wildlife Populations

The Snake River plains and foothill areas of Jackson Hole have been grazed by domestic livestock since settlement of the area. Wildlife populations, including elk, mule deer, and antelope have historically used and continue to use the area. Moose are currently relatively abundant and a small herd of bison have been introduced. Currently, livestock continue to use part of the area contained in Grand Teton National Park either as a concession or due to authorization by Park enabling legislation. Park managers need information concerning the effects of grazing by large ungulates on vegetation resources to assist in effectively managing grazing to achieve desired plant community goals.

scholarly journals Taxonomy and Ecology of Ectomycorrhizal Macrofungi of Grand Teton National Park

1987 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 82-83
Author(s):  
Kent McKnight
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
University Of Washington ◽  
Grand Teton National Park

The 6 weeks field studies during the summer of 1987 relate to that part of the previously stated objectives (e.g. McKnight, Harper, & McKnight, 1986) concerned with the inventory of fungal species in the Wyoming national parks, particularly Grand Teton National Park. With the return of Dr. Meinhard Moser, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, we intended to concentrate on the Hymenomycete genus Cortinarius. The range of species studied was broadened significantly by the shorter visits of two additional collaborators, Dr. Harry Thiers, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, and Dr. Joe Ammirati, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

scholarly journals Water Flow and Beaver Habitat in Grand Teton National Park: Adaptation to Climate Change

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 38-48
Author(s):  
William Gribb ◽  
Henry Harlow
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
National Park ◽  
River Flow ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Snake River ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation

Beavers are a keystone species in Grand Teton National Park and are critical to the aquatic and terrestrial landscape. Modifications to their habitat by climate change impact multiple species. This study is designed to examine the current distribution and habitat of beavers in Grand Teton National Park and analyze the alterations to this distribution and habitat based on climate change. Field and aerial surveys were completed to determine the distribution of beaver colonies in Grand Teton National Park. Beaver habitat was constructed by integrating field surveys of vegetation, soils and hydrologic characteristics with satellite imagery classification. A model of climate change was utilized in an effort to distinguish potentially different rates of temperature and precipitation change into the 21st century. The results of the climate model were then integrated into a watershed assessment model to determine stream flow in the Snake River basin. The decreasing flow rates are critical to beaver habitat for cottonwoods and willow species and beaver settlement and movement and will limit their movement. In addition, the Snake River below Jackson Lake Dam is regulated for irrigation into Idaho and the decreasing flows on the Snake River below the Jackson Lake Dam will also impact water availability for beaver habitats. Decreases in precipitation availability will increase irrigation demand causing changes in the Snake River flow patterns. Management conflicts exist between preserving and maintaining beaver habitat in the national park and meeting the irrigation

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