David Hallac, Chief of Resources
307-344-2513
Tobin W. Roop, Chief, Branch of Cultural Resources
307-344-2224
INVENTORY
• Inventory Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts
• Document Rare vascular plants (species of special concern)
• Prepare and Publish Annotated Vascular Plant Checklist
• Describe/Characterize Baseline vegetation:
Geothermal
Willows
Alpine Vegetation
Fens
Xeric Sagebrush Steppe
Whitebark/Limber Pine
• Complete Exotic Plant Inventory
• Inventory Exotic Plants Along Power Lines
• Inventory Fungi
• Inventory Aquatic Vascular Plants
• Inventory Herbariums for Yellowstone Specimens
MONITORING
• Monitor Yellowstone sand verbena (Abronia ammophila)
• Monitor Advance Of Community-Changing Species
• Monitor Whitebark/Limber Pine
• Monitor Post-Exotic Plant Control/Effect On Natural Communities
• Monitor revegetation success
• Document and Evaluate Effects of Road Reconstruction on Changes in Hydrology and Therefore Wetlands
• Resample Fire Monitoring Plots
• Evaluate/Correlate Historic Non-Forest Vegetation Trend And Condition Data Using Current Sampling Methods
RESEARCH
• Physical/Vegetation Relationships
• Restoration of the Xeric Sagebrush Steppe vegetation of “Triangle” and Boundary lands area
• Fire Ecology
• Sources of Weeds
• Plant genetics
• Vegetation/Wildlife Interactions—Implement Recommendations from the National Science foundation: (Portions of these are currently funded)
• Assess ecosystem stability, resistance, and resilience.
• Response of plant and animal populations/communities to changes in herbivore density
• Concurrent studies of riparian and aspen recruitment, weather/snowpack, etc.
• Have ungulates achieved a dynamic equilibrium with range conditions?
• Long-term investigations/experiments to evaluate management options.
• GYE-wide assessment of the conditions and factors that influence aspen stand structure.
• The relationship of herbivory and groundwater availability on riparian system performance.
• Ungulate herbivory of willows in relation to animal body condition and plant secondary compound production.
• Evaluate Whitebark Pine.Lodgepole Pine Interaction
• Continue/Expand Study of Aspen Biogeochemistry
• Continue/Expand Study of Secondary Metabolites
MANAGEMENT
• Expand Ongoing projects:
Inventory Resources for Compliance
Exotic Plant Control
Hazard Trees
• Reassemble Historic Vegetation Data And Document History Of Vegetation Studies/Management
• Document Vegetation impacts from social trails
• Restore Disturbed Lands
• Prepare Improved Vegetation Map
• Fire Management
• Document the Outwardly Creeping Edge of Developed Areas
• Compile History of Vegetation Manipulation in the Park