DOCSLIB.ORG

The Ecological Role of Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Ecological Role of Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park THE ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF ELK IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK FINAL REPORT JUNE 2006 Dave Dillon Ryan J. Monello 1, Therese L. Johnson 1, and R. G. Wright 2 1National Park Service, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, CO 80517 2Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction........................................................................................................................... 1 Physical and Biological Characteristics of the Park ............................................................. 2 Human History of the Region ............................................................................................... 7 Summary........................................................................................................................... 9 The Elk Population: Historical Information and Contemporary Research ......................... 10 Introduction – Elk Population Indices and Models......................................................... 10 Ecological Carrying Capacity (K)............................................................................... 10 Ecosystem Simulation Model (SAVANNA) .............................................................. 10 Statistical Differences ................................................................................................. 11 Pre-Settlement Conditions .............................................................................................. 11 Early Management (1915 – 1968)................................................................................... 12 Natural Regulation .......................................................................................................... 17 Science-Based Management ........................................................................................... 18 Elk Research (1968 – present) ........................................................................................ 19 Elk Distribution and Movements................................................................................ 19 Elk Population Dynamics............................................................................................ 23 Elk Densities ............................................................................................................... 26 Elk Survival ................................................................................................................ 27 Chronic Wasting Disease............................................................................................ 27 Summary......................................................................................................................... 28 Focal Plant Communities.................................................................................................... 28 Aspen .............................................................................................................................. 28 Aspen Ecology ............................................................................................................ 28 Aspen in RMNP.......................................................................................................... 29 Willow ............................................................................................................................ 32 Willow Ecology .......................................................................................................... 32 Willow in RMNP........................................................................................................ 32 Willow Distribution in RMNP.................................................................................... 34 Willow Growth and Size in RMNP ............................................................................ 35 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Willow Reproduction in RMNP ................................................................................. 36 Bitterbrush and Sagebrush .............................................................................................. 37 Bitterbrush and Sagebrush Ecology............................................................................ 37 Bitterbrush and Sagebrush in RMNP.......................................................................... 38 Herbaceous Communities on the Winter Range............................................................. 38 Coniferous Forest Communities in RMNP..................................................................... 40 Alpine Tundra ................................................................................................................. 41 Summary......................................................................................................................... 41 Ungulate Interactions .......................................................................................................... 43 Mule Deer ....................................................................................................................... 43 Competition with Elk.................................................................................................. 45 Chronic Wasting Disease............................................................................................ 45 Bighorn Sheep................................................................................................................. 46 Competition with Elk.................................................................................................. 46 Moose.............................................................................................................................. 47 Summary......................................................................................................................... 47 Effects of Elk on Biodiversity............................................................................................. 48 Birds................................................................................................................................ 48 Ptarmigan .................................................................................................................... 48 Songbirds .................................................................................................................... 49 Butterflies........................................................................................................................ 50 Beaver ............................................................................................................................. 50 Beaver Ecology........................................................................................................... 50 Beaver in RMNP......................................................................................................... 51 Summary......................................................................................................................... 52 Nutrient Cycles ................................................................................................................... 52 Conclusions......................................................................................................................... 53 Literature Cited ................................................................................................................... 56 ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Land ownership adjacent to and near Rocky Mountain 3 National Park. Figure 2. Elevation (in feet) and major vegetation covertypes of 4 Rocky Mountain National Park. Figure 3. Elk ranges in Rocky Mountain National Park and vicinity. 5 Figure 4. Approximate number of elk inhabiting the Estes Valley 13 during winter from 1913 (initial year of reintroduction) To 2005. Figure 5. Approximate deer population size in the Estes Valley 15 during winter from 1915 to 2003. Figure 6. Elk subpopulation boundaries during winter on the east 21 side of Rocky Mountain National Park and vicinity. Figure 7. Elk migration routes and major stream drainages in the 22 Rocky Mountain National Park area. Figure 8. Elk population dynamics (five-year moving average) in 24 Rocky Mountain National Park and the Town of Estes Park. Figure 9. Woody shrub distribution on the elk winter range in 33 Rocky Mountain National Park. Figure 10. Primary areas of use for moose, bighorn sheep, and mule 44 deer in Rocky Mountain National Park. APPENDIX Appendix 1. Common plant species found in Rocky Mountain National 72 Park covertypes. iii INTRODUCTION Many national parks and equivalent protected areas in North America have experienced substantial increases in the numbers of several species of large grazing and browsing herbivores in the past several decades - numbers that are now considered by many managers and scientists to exceed levels that have existed at any time since the arrival of European colonists (Wright 1992). There is a great deal of scientific debate over the extent of this increase, in part because there is still considerable argument on how to obtain accurate counts of existing herbivore populations let alone how to ascertain the validity of historic counts (Buckland et al. 1993). The reasons for the increases in species such as Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus ), white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), and to a lesser extent bison (Bison bison ) are varied but largely come down to two causes; the almost complete elimination of a major herbivore predator the gray wolf ( Canus lupus ) and the prohibition of human harvest
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Trait Ridge Road Guide
    Sign No. 9 Medicine Bow Curve (11,640 feet) succeeded more than 80 years ago in bringing water from Never The sign here points northwest to the Medi­ Summer streams through the Grand Ditch and La Poudre Pass Rocky Mountain National Park cine Bow Mountains which extend into Wyo­ to irrigate the semiarid lands east of the Rockies. He failed to 9 ming, 44 miles away. The Cache la Poudre find sufficient precious metals in Lulu City diggings to establish River twists through the glacial gorge before profitable mines. Broken stone chimneys and rotting founda­ you, separating this point from rounded, tion logs are all that remain of this once bustling mining camp. v 7 This country is also a favorite home of the beaver. Trait Ridge brownish Specimen Mountain to the west. Its color provides a clue to the mountain's orgin, Sign No. 12 Shadow Mountain National as a volcano, and the cliffs at Iceberg Lake Recreation Area are of lava from this source. Shadow Mountain Lake and Lake Granby Road Guide Sign No. 10 Continental Divide, Milner Pass are two reservoirs of the Colorado — Big (10,758 feet) 12 Thompson Project, built and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Surprise! You thought the Continental Divide \ 7 the Interior. From here water flows through would be the highest point on your trip. But Grand Lake and the 13.1-mile Adams Tunnel this delightful spot where an undecided rain­ to Estes Park. There, east of the Continental drop might flow either to the Atlantic or to \10/ Divide, it stairsteps down through penstocks the Pacific is more than a thousand feet below and turbines producing electric power and finally emptying into the Alpine Visitor Center, and 1,425 feet be- reservoirs and irrigation canals east of the Front Range.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    Appendix C Botanical Resources Table of Contents Purpose Of This Appendix ............................................................................................................. Below Tables C-1. Federal and State Status, Current and Proposed Forest Service Status, and Global Distribution of the TEPCS Plant Species on the Sawtooth National Forest ........................... C-1 C-2. Habit, Lifeform, Population Trend, and Habitat Grouping of the TEPCS Plant Species for the Sawtooth National Forest ............................................................................... C-3 C-3. Rare Communities, Federal and State Status, Rarity Class, Threats, Trends, and Research Natural Area Distribution for the Sawtooth National Forest ................................... C-5 C-4. Plant Species of Cultural Importance for the Sawtooth National Forest ................................... C-6 PURPOSE OF THIS APPENDIX This appendix is designed to provide detailed information about habitat, lifeform, status, distribution, and habitat grouping for the Threatened, Proposed, Candidate, and Sensitive (current and proposed) plant species found on the Sawtooth National Forest. The detailed information is provided to enable managers to more efficiently direct the implementation of Botanical Resources goals, objectives, standards, and guidelines. Additionally, this appendix provides detailed information about the rare plant communities located on the Sawtooth National Forest and should provide additional support of Forest-wide objectives. Species of cultural
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1 CREATING A WILDLIFE FRIENDLY YARD ......................................................................2 With Plant Variety Comes Wildlife Diversity...............................................................2 Existing Yards....................................................................................................2 Native Plants ......................................................................................................3 Why Choose Organic Fertilizers?......................................................................3 Butterfly Gardens...............................................................................................3 Fall Flower Garden Maintenance.......................................................................3 Water Availability..............................................................................................4 Bird Feeders...................................................................................................................4 Provide Grit to Assist with Digestion ................................................................5 Unwelcome Visitors at Your Feeders? ..............................................................5 Attracting Hummingbirds ..................................................................................5 Cleaning Bird Feeders........................................................................................6
    [Show full text]
  • An Assessment of Marine Ecosystem Damage from the Penglai 19-3 Oil Spill Accident
    Journal of Marine Science and Engineering Article An Assessment of Marine Ecosystem Damage from the Penglai 19-3 Oil Spill Accident Haiwen Han 1, Shengmao Huang 1, Shuang Liu 2,3,*, Jingjing Sha 2,3 and Xianqing Lv 1,* 1 Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; [email protected] (H.H.); [email protected] (S.H.) 2 North China Sea Environment Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Qingdao 266033, China; [email protected] 3 Department of Environment and Ecology, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environment & Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Qingdao 266100, China * Correspondence: [email protected] (S.L.); [email protected] (X.L.) Abstract: Oil spills have immediate adverse effects on marine ecological functions. Accurate as- sessment of the damage caused by the oil spill is of great significance for the protection of marine ecosystems. In this study the observation data of Chaetoceros and shellfish before and after the Penglai 19-3 oil spill in the Bohai Sea were analyzed by the least-squares fitting method and radial basis function (RBF) interpolation. Besides, an oil transport model is provided which considers both the hydrodynamic mechanism and monitoring data to accurately simulate the spatial and temporal distribution of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in the Bohai Sea. It was found that the abundance of Chaetoceros and shellfish exposed to the oil spill decreased rapidly. The biomass loss of Chaetoceros and shellfish are 7.25 × 1014 ∼ 7.28 × 1014 ind and 2.30 × 1012 ∼ 2.51 × 1012 ind in the area with TPH over 50 mg/m3 during the observation period, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Northstar Fire Department, Fire Resistant Landscaping Plant List
    Northstar Fire Department, Fire Resistant Landscaping Plant List Many common plants naturally resist fire and can even slow its spread. In general, irrigated and well maintained leafy plants burn slowly. By replacing highly flammable vegetation with these fire resistant recommended species, you can significantly improve the statistical survivability of your home when a wildfire threatens. Courtesy of the “Villager Nursery” in Truckee, this list of fire resistive plants should be considered when enhancing or adding landscape. Here are some other key components to remember when selecting appropriate fire resistant landscaping plants. Choose plants that don’t produce much litter such as dead branches and twigs Plants that produce oils, resins or waxes should be avoided When planting from the approved list, appropriately space plants to prevent fire spread Never plant under conifer trees, this can create a ladder effect which allows smaller ground fires the ability to transfer into larger trees creating crown fires To help ensure their fire resistance, plants must be maintained, watered, and pruned. Routine care will provide you with an attractive defensible space landscape and help ensure the survival of your property in the event of a wildfire. Northstar Fire Department enforces both State and District fire codes that may directly affect your landscape. Northstar Fire Department recommends that prior to changing your landscape you consult with us in order to make sure your property will be compliant with applicable fire codes. Trees Common Name Scientific Name Please note that there Apple Malus spp. may be other vegetative Bigtooth Maple Acer grandidentatum species that are Cherry Prunus spp.
    [Show full text]
  • Native Or Suitable Plants City of Mccall
    Native or Suitable Plants City of McCall The following list of plants is presented to assist the developer, business owner, or homeowner in selecting plants for landscaping. The list is by no means complete, but is a recommended selection of plants which are either native or have been successfully introduced to our area. Successful landscaping, however, requires much more than just the selection of plants. Unless you have some experience, it is suggested than you employ the services of a trained or otherwise experienced landscaper, arborist, or forester. For best results it is recommended that careful consideration be made in purchasing the plants from the local nurseries (i.e. Cascade, McCall, and New Meadows). Plants brought in from the Treasure Valley may not survive our local weather conditions, microsites, and higher elevations. Timing can also be a serious consideration as the plants may have already broken dormancy and can be damaged by our late frosts. Appendix B SELECTED IDAHO NATIVE PLANTS SUITABLE FOR VALLEY COUNTY GROWING CONDITIONS Trees & Shrubs Acer circinatum (Vine Maple). Shrub or small tree 15-20' tall, Pacific Northwest native. Bright scarlet-orange fall foliage. Excellent ornamental. Alnus incana (Mountain Alder). A large shrub, useful for mid to high elevation riparian plantings. Good plant for stream bank shelter and stabilization. Nitrogen fixing root system. Alnus sinuata (Sitka Alder). A shrub, 6-1 5' tall. Grows well on moist slopes or stream banks. Excellent shrub for erosion control and riparian restoration. Nitrogen fixing root system. Amelanchier alnifolia (Serviceberry). One of the earlier shrubs to blossom out in the spring.
    [Show full text]
  • Prescribed Burning for Elk in N Orthem Idaho
    Proceedings: 8th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference 1968 Prescribed Burning For Elk in N orthem Idaho THOMAS A. LEEGE, RESEARCH BIOLOGIST Idaho Fish and Game Dept. Kamiah, Idaho kE majestic wapiti, otherwise known as the Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis), has been identified with northern Idaho for the last 4 decades. Every year thousands of hunters from all parts of the United States swarm into the wild country of the St. Joe Clearwater River drainages. Places like Cool­ water Ridge, Magruder and Moose Creek are favorite hunting spots well known for their abundance of elk. However, it is now evident that elk numbers are slowly decreasing in many parts of the region. The reason for the decline is apparent when the history of the elk herds and the vegetation upon which they depend are closely exam­ ined. This paper will review some of these historical records and then report on prescribed burning studies now underway by Idaho Fish and Game personnel. The range rehabilitation program being developed by the Forest Service from these studies will hopefully halt the elk decline and maintain this valuable wildlife resource in northern Idaho. DESCRIPTION OF THE REGION The general area I will be referring to includes the territory to the north of the Salmon River and south of Coeur d'Alene Lake (Fig. 1). 235 THOMAS A. LEEGE It is sometimes called north-central Idaho and includes the St. Joe and Clearwater Rivers as the major drainages. This area is lightly populated, especially the eaStern two-thirds which is almost entirely publicly owned and managed by the United States Forest Service; specifically, the St.
    [Show full text]
  • To See the Hike Archive
    Geographical Area Destination Trailhead Difficulty Distance El. Gain Dest'n Elev. Comments Allenspark 932 Trail Near Allenspark A 4 800 8580 Allenspark Miller Rock Riverside Dr/Hwy 7 TH A 6 700 8656 Allenspark Taylor and Big John Taylor Rd B 7 2300 9100 Peaks Allenspark House Rock Cabin Creek Rd A 6.6 1550 9613 Allenspark Meadow Mtn St Vrain Mtn TH C 7.4 3142 11632 Allenspark St Vrain Mtn St Vrain Mtn TH C 9.6 3672 12162 Big Thompson Canyon Sullivan Gulch Trail W of Waltonia Rd on Hwy A 2 941 8950 34 Big Thompson Canyon 34 Stone Mountain Round Mtn. TH B 8 2100 7900 Big Thompson Canyon 34 Mt Olympus Hwy 34 B 1.4 1438 8808 Big Thompson Canyon 34 Round (Sheep) Round Mtn. TH B 9 3106 8400 Mountain Big Thompson Canyon Hwy 34 Foothills Nature Trail Round Mtn TH EZ 2 413 6240 to CCC Shelter Bobcat Ridge Mahoney Park/Ginny Bobcat Ridge TH B 10 1500 7083 and DR trails Bobcat Ridge Bobcat Ridge High Bobcat Ridge TH B 9 2000 7000 Point Bobcat Ridge Ginny Trail to Valley Bobcat Ridge TH B 9 1604 7087 Loop Bobcat Ridge Ginny Trail via Bobcat Ridge TH B 9 1528 7090 Powerline Tr Boulder Chautauqua Park Royal Arch Chautauqua Trailhead by B 3.4 1358 7033 Rgr. Stn. Boulder County Open Space Mesa Trail NCAR Parking Area B 7 1600 6465 Boulder County Open Space Gregory Canyon Loop Gregory Canyon Rd TH B 3.4 1368 7327 Trail Boulder Open Space Heart Lake CR 149 to East Portal TH B 9 2000 9491 Boulder Open Space South Boulder Peak Boulder S.
    [Show full text]
  • Published Proceedings from the CWD Forum
    PROCEEDINGS Jackson Hole Chronic Wasting Disease Forum December 7, 2016 National Museum of Wildlife Art Jackson, Wyoming INTRODUCTION The purpose of this Chronic Wasting Disease forum was to highlight CWD research and management considerations, with the goal to share current science-based information with the general public and all organizations concerned with the long-term health of elk and deer populations in the Jackson Hole Area. ABSTRACTS *Names of presenters in bold text Wyoming Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Mary Wood, State Veterinarian, Wildlife Veterinary Research Services, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Laramie, Wyoming, USA Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was first described in captive mule deer from Colorado and Wyoming in the 1970’s (Williams 1980). After the initial discovery and description of this disease, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) began collaborative work with Dr. Elizabeth Williams in 1982 to investigate whether the disease was present in free-ranging populations (Williams 1992, Miller 2000). This was the beginning of a decades-long surveillance program to study the distribution and spread of this disease in free-ranging cervid populations. Between 1982 and 1997 a limited number of CWD samples were collected through local check stations near Laramie and Wheatland WY. WGFD surveillance began in earnest in 1997, with peak surveillance occurring between 2003 and 2011 when federal funding was available. Currently the WGFD Wildlife Health Laboratory tests between 1500 and 3500 samples for CWD each year with over 56,000 samples tested to date in Wyoming. Surveillance includes voluntary sample collection from hunter harvested animals as well as collection from road-killed animals and targeted animals showing signs consistent with CWD.
    [Show full text]
  • Vegetation Demographics in Earth System Models: a Review of Progress and Priorities
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Recent Work Title Vegetation demographics in Earth System Models: A review of progress and priorities. Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3912p4m3 Journal Global change biology, 24(1) ISSN 1354-1013 Authors Fisher, Rosie A Koven, Charles D Anderegg, William RL et al. Publication Date 2018 DOI 10.1111/gcb.13910 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Received: 11 April 2017 | Revised: 12 August 2017 | Accepted: 17 August 2017 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13910 RESEARCH REVIEW Vegetation demographics in Earth System Models: A review of progress and priorities Rosie A. Fisher1 | Charles D. Koven2 | William R. L. Anderegg3 | Bradley O. Christoffersen4 | Michael C. Dietze5 | Caroline E. Farrior6 | Jennifer A. Holm2 | George C. Hurtt7 | Ryan G. Knox2 | Peter J. Lawrence1 | Jeremy W. Lichstein8 | Marcos Longo9 | Ashley M. Matheny10 | David Medvigy11 | Helene C. Muller-Landau12 | Thomas L. Powell2 | Shawn P. Serbin13 | Hisashi Sato14 | Jacquelyn K. Shuman1 | Benjamin Smith15 | Anna T. Trugman16 | Toni Viskari12 | Hans Verbeeck17 | Ensheng Weng18 | Chonggang Xu4 | Xiangtao Xu19 | Tao Zhang8 | Paul R. Moorcroft20 1National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA 2Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA 3Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA 4Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA 5Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA 6Department of Integrative Biology,
    [Show full text]
  • A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park
    National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228 ON THE COVER Rocky Mountain National Park Photograph by: Billy Schweiger A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228 David M. Theobald1,2 Jill S. Baron2,3 Peter Newman1 Barry Noon4 John B. Norman III1,2 Ian Leinwand1 Sophia E. Linn1 Richard Sherer4 Katherine E. Williams2,5 Melannie Hartman2 1Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1480 2Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1499 3U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO 80523 4Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1474 5Current address: Department of Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 This report was prepared under Task Order J2380060103 (Cooperative Agreement #H1200040001) July 2010 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS conservation and environmental constituencies. Manuscripts are peer-reviewed to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and is designed and published in a professional manner. Natural Resource Reports are the designated medium for disseminating high priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application.
    [Show full text]
  • Emergent Biogeography of Microbial Communities in a Model Ocean
    REPORTS germ insects not only uncovers those features es- mRNA localization indeed appears to be an sential to this developmental mode but also sheds important component of long-germ embryogene- light on how the bcd-dependent anterior patterning sis, perhaps even playing a role in the transition program might have evolved. Through analysis of from the ancestral short-germ to the derived long- the regulation of the trunk gap gene Kr in Dro- germ fate. sophila and Nasonia,wehavebeenabletodem- onstrate that anterior repression of Kr is essential References and Notes for head and thorax formation and is a common 1. G. K. Davis, N. H. Patel, Annu. Rev. Entomol. 47, 669 (2002). feature of long-germ patterning. Both insects 2. T. Berleth et al., EMBO J. 7, 1749 (1988). accomplish this task through maternal, anteriorly 3. W. Driever, C. Nusslein-Volhard, Cell 54, 83 (1988). localized factors that either indirectly (Drosophila) 4. J. Lynch, C. Desplan, Curr. Biol. 13, R557 (2003). or directly (Nasonia) repress Kr and, hence, trunk 5. J. A. Lynch, A. E. Brent, D. S. Leaf, M. A. Pultz, C. Desplan, Nature 439, 728 (2006). fates. In Drosophila, the terminal system and bcd 6. J. Savard et al., Genome Res. 16, 1334 (2006). regulate expression of gap genes, including Dm-gt, 7. G. Struhl, P. Johnston, P. A. Lawrence, Cell 69, 237 (1992). that repress Dm-Kr. Nasonia’s bcd-independent 8. A. Preiss, U. B. Rosenberg, A. Kienlin, E. Seifert, long-germ embryos must solve the same problem, H. Jackle, Nature 313, 27 (1985). Fig. 4.
    [Show full text]