Yellowstone River

In Yellowstone National Park, there are more than 11 native fish species in the waterways, with the Yellowstone cutthroat trout historically being the most abundant fish in the park (NPS, n.d.). The cutthroat has been the dominate fish species in this area for hundreds of years, being fished by both the Native Americans who lived in this area and the wildlife. This fish is an integral part of Yellowstone’s ecosystem because they are relied upon as a keystone food source for birds, bears, river otters, wolves and other mammals inhabiting Yellowstone. Because cutthroat trout spawn in shallow rivers upstream like salmon, they are easy to catch and consume by mammals and birds. This food source is crucial to ensure the continuation of other species. Bears, wolves and large prey birds are less likely to hunt for smaller prey or juvenile animals if…

Absaroka Range of Wyoming, Yellowstone River meanders downstream some 670 miles into the Missouri and then, eventually, into the Atlantic Ocean at the Gulf of Mexico. The river runs out of the Yellowstone National Park, flowing through Montana, heading eastward into North Dakota, where it eventually joins the Missouri River. The natural flowing, undammed, and untamed Yellowstone, travels a course that cuts through steep-walled canyons, fertile farm country, and flows in and out of lakes,…

The Spheres of Yellowstone National Park Throughout history, Yellowstone National Park has been a central part of American culture. When a typical American envisions Yellowstone, they see a beautiful landscape, or place filled with nature and wildlife. However, there is more to Yellowstone National Park than what meets the eye. Yellowstone National Park is an area riddled with the strife of politics. Two spheres, human-and human and human-and-nature, describe an important relationship within…

Why is fire an important part of Yellow Stone? How does this seem to affect the habitat of it? What is the history behind fires in Yellowstone National Park? Does climate change play a role? These are all the things that I am going to talk about but first, we need to understand what fire regimes are? A fire regime is a term that gives a common pattern in how fires naturally happen in a certain ecosystem over a longer period of time. “Scientists classify fire regimes using a combination of…

Yellowstone Supervolcano: Case Study WHAT IS IT? The term “supervolcano” stands for an eruption of magnitude 8 on the Volcano Explosivity Index, indicating an eruption of more than 1,000 cubic kilometres (250 cubic miles) of magma. Yellowstone has had at least three past eruptions: The three being, 2.1 million years ago, 1.2 million years ago and 640,000 years ago, were about 2,500 times larger than the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington State. WHERE IS IT? The supervolcano…

Yellowstone is America’s first National park. Located in the state of Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park draws millions of visitors every year. Yellowstone park includes over three thousand square miles of lakes, canyons, rivers, and mountains. The National park is bigger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. All though Yellowstone is considered to be located in Wyoming the park actually stretches across three states. Ninety six percent of Yellowstone is in Wyoming but the other three…

In 1995, 14 gray wolves (Canis lupus) were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park after an absence beginning in the 1920s (Beschta and Ripple 2010). These wolves produced a trophic cascade, where a higher level of food chain affects a lower one. This cascade began by the wolves causing elk (Cervus elaphus) removal and relocation and led to trees quintupling in size. Seeing the positive effects wolves had on trees, more national parks and states began facilitating this natural ecology…

with the name first, but it surely does fit our feelings for the town. Growing up in Tillamook, I start to notice more and more of the horrifying damage the rain water and rivers do to our town. According to the Tillamook County Department of Community Development, "DO NOT ENTER FLOOD WATER!" flood…

snowpack melt in the summer. During upwelling events nutrient rich ground water would be brought up to the surface layers. If there is a spike in nutrient levels without any rainfall and low water temperature and low dissolved oxygen were observed, it usually implies to upwelling events. Upwelling can be localized and could also bring up the resting cysts of harmful plankton. Upwelling at known hotspots would lead to a bloom event during favorable conditions. A discrete sample was collected from…

Due to the flooding in Lower Onion Creek, Eric Rangel, 17, had to drop out of school due to the financial burden that flooding has imposed on his family. The Lower Onion Creek area flooded twice, once on October 31, 2013, and October 30, 2015. Many Lower Onion Creek residents are living in condemned homes five months after the latest flood. Eric Rangel said after the floods, the city condemned his home. His home was no longer inhabitable, and his family had to seek other shelter options.…