THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM
Climate change is having an increasingly profound effect on the Yellowstone Ecosystem. The gradual rise in air temperature means organisms suited to a colder climate will struggle to live as they have done. Scientists constantly monitor Yellowstone and it's climate, and attempt to predict future patterns and courses.
Already, scientists know that: (http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/climatechange.htm)
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Scientists predict that a continued rise in temperature will fundamentally alter Yellowstone's ecosystem: (http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/climatechange.htm)
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Whitebark Pine:
The rising of temperature has meant warmer climate and drought, allowing for mountain pine beetles and blister rust to thrive and in doing so destroy the tree's population.
The following are factors contributing to the decline of white bark tree success in Yellowstone due to climate change:
White Pine Blister Rust:
The following are factors contributing to the decline of white bark tree success in Yellowstone due to climate change:
White Pine Blister Rust:
- A non-native and deadly disease
- Prevents nutrient and water dispersion throughout white pine trees.
- Ultimately reduces cone and seed production and severely limits regeneration.
- Only a small number of white pine trees are naturally resistant to white pine blister rust.
- A native pest
- Drills into the bark, killing the tree.
- Warmer temperatures mean shortened hibernation periods, increases in populations and reproduction rates, and migration to higher elevations
- The new environments at higher elevations exposes trees that didn't previously encounter the beetle and provides a new and large food source for their demanding numbers.
Grizzly bears
Climate change has affected one of the main sources of nutrition for grizzly bears: whitebark pine seeds.
Grizzly bears are omnivorous and rely heavily upon nuts, fruit and roots as their main diet. During the late summer and early fall grizzlies spend a lot of time in the higher alpine regions where the whitebark pine thrives. However the warming temperature has increased the pine pests, brought droughts and affected their growth from the rising temperatures. With the Whitebark pine seriously reducing in numbers, being added to the endangered species list, grizzlies are forced to move down the mountain, where they have more encounters with humans and are killed. |
"Whitebark pine seeds are to a grizzly bear what macadamia nuts or pecans are to humans. The highly nutritious seeds are chocked full of fat and protein, and when available, are eaten by the thousands by Yellowstone grizzlies. But global warming has allowed bugs known as mountain pine beetles to move up the mountainsides, and attack and kill millions of acres of whitebark pine forests. As a result, the bears are forced to move down the mountain in search of different foods, where they often run into conflicts with humans and are killed." |
http://earthjustice.org/features/court-gives-grizzlies-something-to-sleep-on#: above information from this article.