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National Park Service Research Needs
TITLE:
Large
Mammal Ecology
SUBMITTING BUREAU: National Park Service
Originating Offices: Intermountain and Midwest Field Areas
DATE SUBMITTED: March 31, 1995
BIN NUMBER: NPS04CR98
BRD REGION: Central
DESCRIPTION OF NEED: Large mammals such as deer, elk, bison, bighorn sheep, bears, wolves, and mountain lions are particularly affected by modified ecosystems and habitat. A broad range of information is needed on the ecology of large mammals in a variety of situations. Population numbers and trends are needed for all species; monitoring methods need to be examined and improved where appropriate. Ecological factors resulting in excessively high or low populations need to be determined. Information needs to be developed for ecologically sound management of large mammal species.
MANAGEMENT PROBLEM WITH NEED: A variety of management problems in several parks generate the need for ecological information. A few examples follow:
BUREAU CONTACT: Tom Wylie, 303-969-2970, tom_wylie@nps.gov
Cluster Contacts:
Colorado Plateau - Bill Schreier, 801-834-4108,
bill_schreier@nps.gov
Great Plains - Steve Cinnamon. 402-221-3437,
steve_cinnamon@nps.gov
Rocky Mountain - Tom Wylie, 303-969-2970, tom_wylie@nps.gov
Southwest - Gerald McCrea, 505-988-6829, jerry_mccrea@nps.gov
BRD PRIMARY CENTER: MESC
BRD CENTER CONTACT: Peter Gogan
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY99): Contact was made initially with the designated bureau contact Tom Wylie. Tom indicated that Mike Britten of his staff would be responsible for responding to the BRD BIN query. The query was discussed with Mike Britten after he returned to his office in mid-November. Mike Britten provided a list of research needs for the National Park Service Intermountain Region (see attached). The list is sorted by park unit and not by priority. A list of the acronyms used in the report is attached. I have marked with an asterisk all identified research needs which BRD researchers are providing assistance through research projects or consultation.
Future efforts should be directed toward setting priorities for the research needs. Also, the needs list should be categorized as those requiring field research and those requiring initial consultation between park staff and BRD scientists.
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: December 18, 1998
PREPARED BY: Peter Gogan, Northern Rocky Mountain Ecosystems Section, Fort Collins Science Center, (406) 994-6989, ubipg@montana.edu
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY98): The NPS identified lead for this priority indicated a reluctance to speak for other clusters within NPS. Hence, I attempted to contact the representative of each of the clusters separately. E-mail messages were sent to these contacts in September 1997. None of the cluster representatives responded to the email message. Based upon last year's responses and the types of issues relative to large mammal ecology, each cluster wishes to address four or five categories: 1) extirpated; 2) too few and numbers declining; 3) exotic or too many and numbers increasing; 4) populations artificially regulated; and 5) potential transmission of diseases and parasites between free-ranging large native mammals and domestic stock. A common priority list of issues for the entire cluster would permit identifying priority "case studies" of common issues with lessons and recommended management actions applicable to other park units so that the same issues would not need to be addressed separately in each NPS unit.
Cluster contacts were not available to meet at the George Wright Society meetings in March 1997 or at the Wildlife Society Meetings in September 1997. Lists of natural resources management issues involving large mammals for each park unit in each cluster could be acquired from the NPS national database for natural resources. I contacted the individual responsible for the database (Tim Goddard, 970-226-3543, tim_goddard@nps.gov) to determine if such a search was possible. I was told that it was but that the database was only available to NPS employees with exceptions granted by the NPS Deputy Assistant Director for Natural Resources (mike_soukup@nps.gov). I received no reply to an email request for permission to use the database for this purpose made in November 25, 1996. A second request has been made to Abby Miller (abby_miller@nps.gov).
Discussions between BRD and the National Park Service resulted in identification of a number of information needs relative to the ecology of bison and epidemiology of brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. These needs were addressed in a comprehensive package of eleven cooperative research proposals developed by BRD research scientists and faculty at Montana State University and Colorado State University along with other collaborators. The entire package was funded by BRD at 255K/year for 5 years beginning in FY97. Some elements of the package build on pilot studies funded by the National Park Service and APHIS. All research proposals underwent peer review in FY97. Field research for many tasks began in FY97. Other tasks will begin in FY98.
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: October 31, 1997
PREPARED BY: Peter Gogan, Northern Rocky Mountain Ecosystems Section, Fort Collins Science Center, (406) 994-6989, ubipg@montana.edu
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://biology.usgs.gov/cro/98nps-4.htm
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