Park Science, 27(2)
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Fall 2010 • Volume 27 • Number 2 www.nature.nps.gov/ParkScience National Park Service PPARKARKScience U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center Integrating Research and Resource Management in the National Parks Office of Education and Outreach TTHEHE DDENALIENALI PPARKARK RROADOAD TThehe eeffectsffects ooff ttraffiraffi c vvolumeolume aandnd ddriverriver bbehaviorehavior oonn wwildlifeildlife ppreservationreservation aandnd tthehe vvisitorisitor eexperiencexperience • A 16th-century Spanish inscription at Grand Canyon? • Decline and restoration of whitebark pine at Crater Lake • Case studies in water resources management • Landscape-level reviews of habitat modeling and the impacts of human population on Canadian national parks and wildlife 2 PARKScience Integrating Research and Resource Management in the National Parks Volume 27 • Number 2 • Fall 2010 www.nature.nps.gov/ParkScience ISSN 0735–9462 From the Editor Published by U.S. Department of the Interior Theme issues need your help National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center (NRPC) This issue of Park Science takes us to northern latitudes, featuring Offi ce of Education and Outreach (OEO) research in Alaskan and Canadian national parks. A brief series of articles Lakewood, Colorado describes the research inputs involved in building a model of Denali Park Director, National Park Service Jon Jarvis Road traffi c that will be instrumental in designing new vehicle limits that Associate Director, Natural Resource may be placed on this popular route. Two Canadian studies seek to better Stewardship & Science understand the infl uence of landscape patterns and human populations Bert Frost on Canadian national parks and wildlife by evaluating and improving the Director, Natural Resource Program Center effi cacy of existing ecological models. Altogether, these reports highlight George Dickison the sophistication with which models, informed by research and used by Editor Jeff Selleck circumspect managers, can help address complex management issues. Natural Resource Program Center, Offi ce of Education We also present several water resource-related “Science Notes” and Outreach that demonstrate signifi cant developments in applications of water law Associate Editor Katie KellerLynn and various technologies to the understanding and protection of park Writer-Editor, Colorado State University (cooperator) resources. A departure from our normal natural resource-oriented fare Contributing Editors that I think you will enjoy especially is the article about a rock inscrip- Betsie Blumberg Writer-Editor, Pennsylvania State University (cooperator) tion at Grand Canyon and its potential meaning for park history. Mindi Davis and Jonathan Nawn, Blank Space, LLC Though you’ll fi nd these and other topics on the following pages, (contractor) this edition of Park Science was not designed as a theme issue. By con- Copyeditor/Proofreader trast, our upcoming spring 2011 and winter 2011–2012 issues will focus on Lori D. Kranz (contractor) climate change science and wilderness science and management, respec- Layout tively. Both are being planned now and need your consideration. Jeff Selleck, Editor The climate change issue was originally scheduled for winter 2010– Editorial board John Dennis—Deputy Chief Scientist, Natural Resource 2011, but has been delayed until spring to give more time for expanded par- Stewardship & Science ticipation. I am now seeking abstracts and article proposals and would like Rick Jones—Interpretive Planner, Harpers Ferry Center to hear from you. This issue will concentrate on understanding, anticipating, Bob Krumenaker—Superintendent, Apostle Islands adapting to, mitigating, restoring resources aff ected by, and communicating National Lakeshore climate change impacts on our national parks. This is a good opportunity to Charles Roman—NPS Research Coordinator, North review the issues, projects, research/policy needs, and information break- Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, University of Rhode Island throughs related to climate change at your park and to develop and share Bobbi Simpson—Supervisory Biologist and California usable knowledge on this topic with your colleagues. You will fi nd a pro- Exotic Plant Management Team Liaison, Point Reyes spectus of this theme issue on the Park Science Web site. Abstracts/proposals National Seashore are due 15 November and should be e-mailed to me along with any thoughts Kathy Tonnessen—NPS Research Coordinator, Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, or ideas on how to make this issue particularly useful and interesting. University of Montana Similarly, we will be covering wilderness-related science and manage- Editorial offi ce ment issues in our winter 2011–2012 edition. A call for abstracts and propos- Jeff Selleck National Park Service als was circulated in late August with a deadline of 6 January 2011. You can NRPC/OEO review the prospectus on the Park Science Web site. Please e-mail your pro- P.O. Box 25287 Denver, CO 80225-0287 posals to Wade Vagias ([email protected]), guest editor for this issue. E-mail: [email protected] Intentionally or not, Park Science reveals themes in our endeavors Phone: 303-969-2147 to understand and manage park resources and values. I welcome your Fax: 303-987-6704 input in the process to develop the upcoming theme issues with the goal of making them as relevant to this mission as possible. —Jeff Selleck 33 Contents NOAA CENTER FOR COASTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT NPS NPS/JOHN HOURDOS 21 26 28 DEPARTMENTS SCIENCE NOTES: WATER RESOURCES From the Editor 2 Understanding lake drainage in northern Alaskan national parks: Impacts of a warming climate 18 In This Issue 5 By Amy Larsen Index by park/protected area Benthic habitat mapping in ocean and Great Lakes parks 21 Comments and Corrections 6 By Jeffrey N. Cross 20 Years Ago in Park Science 7 Underwater video habitat mapping at Obed Wild and Scenic River 24 Gravel sources for Denali road By Paul D. Ayers and Jeff Hughes Information Crossfi le 8 Water right protects Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 26 Synopses of selected publications relevant By James Harte to natural resource management IN FOCUS: DENALI PARK ROAD An integrated study of road capacity at Denali National Park 28 Managers are studying vehicular road capacity and the effects of traffi c on the visitor experience and on wildlife as they reevaluate the strategy for providing public access along the Denali Park Road. By Laura M. Phillips, Philip Hooge, and Thomas Meier The Denali Park Road experience: Indicators and standards of quality 33 Based on data from interviews and surveys conducted with road users, this study identifi es indicators and standards for the visitor experience on the Denali Park Road that were formulated based on data from interviews and survey. These indicators and standards provide an empirical basis for assessing and monitoring the carrying capacity of the road. By Robert E. Manning and Jeffrey C. Hallo Assessing impacts of traffi c on large mammals in Denali National Park and Preserve 42 Resource managers study the fi ne-scale movement patterns of Dall’s sheep and grizzly bears, as well as the distribution and abundance of other large mammals along the park ON THE COVER road, to identify any possible links between traffi c volume and wildlife behavior. Visitors take in the grandeur of By Laura M. Phillips, Richard Mace, and Thomas Meier Mt. McKinley, Alaska, from Stoney Modeling traffi c patterns in Denali National Park and Preserve to evaluate Pass Overlook along the Denali effects on visitor experience and wildlife 48 Park Road. This edition’s “In Focus” Researchers developed a traffi c simulation model of the Denali Park Road, based on data reports on investigations of vehicular collected from bus vehicle trips. The model tests how increases in traffi c road capacity and related issues for volume might cause violation of crowding-related standards for the management of the park road. protection of the quality of the visitor experience and wildlife. ALASKA STOCK IMAGES/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STOCK By Ted Morris, John Hourdos, Max Donath, and Laura Phillips 4 PARK SCIENCE • VOLUME 27 • NUMBER 2 • FALL 2010 COPYRIGHT 2010 RAY KENNY NPS PARKS CANADA ##58 ##64 ##78 SCIENCE FEATURE UPCOMING ISSUES Winter 2010–2011 A 16th-century Spanish inscription in Grand Canyon? A hypothesis 58 January 2011 release. Seasonal issue. A geologist’s interpretation of a stone inscription calls into question the traditionally accepted Contributor’s deadline: 27 October. location where Spanish explorers are thought to have fi rst viewed Grand Canyon. By Ray Kenny Spring 2011 May release. Climate change research and park management. Deadline RESEARCH REPORTS extended: 15 November 2010 for abstracts/article proposals. Will whitebark pine not fade away? Insight from Crater Lake Fall 2011 National Park (2003–2009) 64 Seasonal issue. October release. Life is getting get lonely at the top for this high-mountain ecosystem. Contributor’s deadline: 15 May 2011. By Michael Murray Winter 2011–2012 Sidebar: Whitebark pine restoration under way at Crater Lake 68 January 2012 release. Topical By Laura E. Hudson and Elena Karnaugh Thomas issue: Wilderness research and Canadian national parks as islands: Investigating the role of landscape management. Abstracts/article proposals due 6 January 2011. pattern and human population on species loss 70 Investigators analyze models to distinguish effects of landscape patterns and human population pressures associated