Thesis (M.A.)--University of Virginia, 1998. / Description based on content as of June 1999. Title from title screen.

Thesis (MS)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2009. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rick L. Lawrence. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-106).

abstract: I present for the first time a broad-scale assessment of dissolved organic matter in the continental hot springs of Yellowstone National Park. The concentration of dissolved organic carbon in hot springs is highly variable, but demonstrates distinct trends with the geochemical composition of springs. The dissolved organic carbon concentrations are lowest in the hottest, most deeply sourced hot springs. Mixing of hydrothermal fluids with surface waters or reaction with buried sedimentary organic matter is typically indicated by increased dissolved organic carbon concentrations. I assessed the bulk composition of organic matter through fluorescence analysis that demonstrated different fluorescent components associated with terrestrial organic matter, microbial organic matter, and several novel fluorescent signatures unique to hot springs. One novel fluorescence signature is observed exclusively in acidic hot springs, and it is likely an end product of thermally-altered sedimentary organic matter. This acid-spring component precipitates out of solution under neutral or alkaline conditions and characterization of the precipitate revealed evidence for a highly condensed aromatic structure. This acid-spring component serves as a reliable tracer of acidic, hot water that has cycled through the subsurface. Overall, dissolved organic carbon concentrations and fluorescent features correlate with the inorganic indicators traditionally used to infer spring fluid mixing in the subsurface. Further, the fluorescence information reveals subtle differences in mixing between fluid phases that are not distinguishable through classic inorganic indicator species. My work assessing dissolved organic carbon in the Yellowstone National Park hot springs reveals that the organic matter in hydrothermal systems is different from that found in surface waters, and that the concentration and composition of hot spring dissolved organic matter reflects the subsurface geochemical and hydrological environment. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Chemistry 2020

Although the impacts of livestock and human activities on riparian zones and associated wildlife have been well documented, little is known about the impacts that browsing by large native ungulates such as elk and moose may have. In the northern Yellowstone area, some willow stands experience intense browsing by elk and moose whereas others experience medium or very low amounts of browsing. The objectives of this study were (1) to compare the species and densities of birds among willow stands that have experienced different intensities of browsing by native ungulates, (2) to measure the relationship between five species of birds and aspects of habitat structure, and (3) to develop and evaluate predictive models that relate presence or absence of the five species to habitat characteristics. In 1989 and 1990, I measured densities of nesting songbirds and aspects of habitat structure in eight large willow stands that have experienced different intensities of browsing. The densities of five focal species (Common Yellowthroat, Lincoln's Sparrow, Warbling Vireo, Wilson's Warbler, and Yellow Warbler) varied considerably among sites. Only two sites had all five species and only one species--the Lincoln's Sparrow'was found in all eight sites. The proportion of severely browsed willows in the eight sites ranged from 3.5% to 100%. The nonlinear relationship between total bird densities and frequency of severe browsing suggests that birds have a threshhold of tolerance for browsing, beyond which bird numbers and total numbers of species drop. Principal Components Analysis of 14 habitat variables indicates that the study sites varied in terms of distances between shrubs, shrub heights, height heterogeneity, foliage density at various height intervals, and frequency of severely browsed willows. Browsing does appear to affect the assemblages of breeding birds in these sites, but site- and landscape-level factors such as food abundance, willow species composition, hydrology, type and gradient of adjacent community, and riparian zone width and elevation also play important roles. such variables should be incorporated into future predictive models to improve model performance. (82 pages)

Bison produce trails, wallows, and trample grounds, visible in satellite imagery disturbing ~27,500 m2 at Yellowstone National Park (YNP; in USA) and ~10,700 m2 in Białowieża National Forest (BNF; in Poland and Belarus), and, without anthropogenic land change, these mega-traces persist in sand-dominated substrates for 6-26 years. The average wallow size ranges from ~17-40 m2, whereas the average trample ground varies in size from ~140-300 m2. Trail segments typically extend for ~260-380 m, but the longest trails at YNP traverse >3 km. Estimates of track volume indicate for a standard herd of 200 animals, over a daily distance of 10 km ~4000 m3 is pediturbated. Low sinuosity values of 1.16-1.10 characterize trails, and wallows display high aspect ratios >0.7, helping distinguish bison traces on the landscape. During the Holocene, as many as 40 million bison inhabited North America, so this study provides a qualitative baseline for considering the geomorphic ability of large ungulates.Caliper measurements indicate the surface expression of simulated bison tracks varies depending on the moisture content of the medium. The slope of the marginal ridges (MR) in dry (0% moisture by volume), moist (~10% moisture by volume) and wet (saturated) sand differ around the track perimeter, although the minimum slope of the marginal ridge increases with moisture content (dry sand ~10 cm, moist sand ~40 cm, wet sand ~20 cm). The maximum MR slope (~80°) occurs in a moist substrate. The aspect ratio of prints in wet sand is 0.60, reflecting the most elliptical hoofprint, whereas moist sand displayed the most circular track with an aspect ratio of 0.76. The interdigital angle decreased by ~5° with increasing moisture (dry = 56°, wet ≈ 51°). Photos document in dry sand, deformation fronts 2-3 cm in height are present, whereas in moist sand, transverse and radial cracks are present. In wet sand, debris flows form. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) imaging reveals subsurface anomalies interpreted as undertracks and normal micro-faults. In dry sand, two poorly-defined sets of undertracks with 1 cm relief are visible 3-4 cm beneath the tracking surface. Normal faulting is absent. In moist and wet sand, 4-5 sets of detailed undertracks showing 2-3 cm of relief deform sediments 7-8 cm in depth. Several normal faults are present in moist and wet hoofprints. Combined surface and subsurface observations may indicate the moisture content of paleo-tracking surfaces, particularly if the substrate is saturated. When hoofprints are formed in an unfrozen substrate, freezing increases preservation potential. Partially thawed tracks are resistant to deflation (wind erosion), maintaining outlines of digits and the medial pocket until late stages of deflation. Billions of ungulate traces formed in aeolian periglacial settings may be preserved. Tracks exposed to aeolian action exhibit higher heavy-mineral concentrations (HMC) along marginal ridges (MR), which are detectable using low-field bulk magnetic susceptibility (MS). In situ tracks from Delaware and Virginia (USA) display marginal HMCs 3.7-10x greater than background MS, whereas in laboratory, simulated hoofprints show marginal HMCs 1.7x above background MS. HMCs readily occur in nature, so MS measurements of tracking surfaces may quantitatively indicate the length or intensity of aeolian processes. This experiment demonstrates hoofprints indented through a <1 mm thick HMC and subsequently exposed to 1 min wind gusts of 5-10 m/s form HMCs on the scale of 10’s of µSI. Billions of ungulate tracks displaying marginal HMCs are probably preserved, potentially providing a detailed regional paleo-wind record. / Geoscience

This study examines opportunities for coordinated road management for purposes of ecosystem management. The coordination efforts in Greater Yellowstone provide a case study illustrating these opportunities. The study first reviews current literature about ecosystems, ecosystem management goals, benefits and the application of the concept to Greater Yellowstone. Issues of forest road management are also examined. The study then turns to a critique of current road management efforts in six National Forests of northwest Wyoming, southwest Montana and eastern Idaho; which are considered part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Comparisons of road management planning and policy will be made primarily through examination of forest plans and engineering policies, and through personal communication with forest highway engineers and transportation planners. Recommendations for improving coordination of forest road management follow the critique. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

The purpose of this study is to present both the educational and the geographical opportunities of Yellowstone National Park which is a region that provides inspiring areas of observation and experiences for American children.

A key component to conservation is an accurate understanding of genetic subdivision within a species. Despite their ecological and economic importance, relatively little is understood about the genetic structuring of Yellowstone cutthroat trout in Yellowstone National Park. Here, we use traditional (Fst, Rst, Nm, and AMOVA) and modern (Bayesian assignment tests, coalescent theory, and nested clade analysis) analytical approaches to describe the population genetic subdivision of cutthroat trout spawning populations in Yellowstone Lake and to identify genetically distinct population segments throughout Yellowstone National Park. Evidence for restricted gene flow between spawning populations within Yellowstone Lake was detected using nested clade analysis. This is the first molecular evidence for restricted gene flow between spawning populations in Yellowstone Lake. In contrast, traditional methods such as Fst and Rst as well as the Bayesian clustering program STRUCTURE v2.0 failed to detect evidence for restricted gene flow. Across our sampling range within Yellowstone National Park, eleven genetically distinct cutthroat trout population segments were detected. These showed a general pattern of small, isolated populations with low genetic diversity in headwater streams and wide-spread, genetically diverse populations in higher-order rivers. We recommend populations be managed to maintain current levels of genetic diversity and gene flow. Based on the recent decline of and distinct morphological, behavioral, and genetic nature of cutthroat trout in Yellowstone Lake, we recommend the Yellowstone Lake spawning populations collectively be recognized as an evolutionarily significant unit.

Fifty-nine female and six male little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) were radio-tagged during the summers of 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 in Yellowstone National Park. The grand models for daily maximum skin temperature (F98,154 = 1.55, P = 0.007), daily minimum skin temperature (F98,154 = 1.33, P = 0.05), and daily variation in skin temperature (F98,154 = 1.56, P = 0.006) were significant across roost type and reproductive condition class for adult females. Roosts were classified into Types A (warmest roosts), B (roosts with largest daily temperature variance), and C (stable and cool roosts) depending on differences in mean maximum, minimum, and variance in temperatures per day (P < 0.001). A total of 347 torpor bouts were recorded from 38 females across the 2012 to 2015 summer seasons. Bats across different reproductive classes and roost types used torpor at different hours of the day. My research suggests that adult female little brown myotis at high elevations in the Park extensively use and rely on building structures for roosting sites during the reproductive season, whereas males used primarily natural roosts.

In the archaeological literature, mountains are often portrayed as the boundaries between inhabited spaces. Yet occupying high elevations may have been an adaptive choice for ancient peoples, as rapidly changing elevations also offer variation in climate and resources over a relatively small area. So what happens, instead, if we put mountain landscapes at the center of our analyses of prehistoric seasonal rounds and ecological adaptation? This Ph.D. argues that, in order to understand any landscape that includes mountains, from the Alps to the Andes, one must include the ecology and archaeology of the highest elevations. Specifically, I base my findings on new fieldwork and lithic collections from the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) of the Rocky Mountains, which was a vital crossroads of prehistoric cultures for more than 11,000 years. I include five interlocking analyses. First, I consider the impacts of anthropogenic climate change on high elevation cultural resources, focusing on the diminishing resiliency of ancient high elevation ice patches and the loss of the organic artifacts and paleobiological materials they contain. Second, I create a dichotomous key for chronologically typing projectile points, suggesting a methodological improvement for typological dating in the GYE and for surface archaeology more broadly. Third, I use obsidian source data to consider whether mountain people were a single, unified group or were represented by a variety of peoples with different zones of land tenure. Fourth, I consider high elevation occupation in both mountain ranges as part of the seasonal round, using indices of diversity in tool types and raw material to study how the duration of those occupations changed through time. And, finally, I test the common contention that ancient people primarily used mountains as refugia from extreme climatic pressure at lower elevations. Ultimately, I find that, in both mountain ranges, increased high elevation activity is most highly correlated with increased population, not with hot, dry climatic conditions. In other words, the mountains were more than simply refugia for plains or basin people to occupy when pressured by climatic hardship. In addition, between the Absarokas and the Beartooths the evidence suggests two different patterns of occupation, not a monolithic pan-mountain adaptation. These results demonstrate the potential contributions of surface archaeology to our understanding of prehistory, and have important implications for the way we think about mountain landscapes as peopled spaces in relation to adjacent lower-elevation areas.