Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 34 HOW WILL THE PARK'S WILDLIFE ADJUST TO CHANGING CLIMATE CONDI- TIONS, AND WHAT SPECIES MAY BE THE MOST AFFECTED? It is much easier to make predictions about climate variables than it is to guess how the complex interactions between animals and plants will play out as they respond to the new conditions. A lot depends on how rapidly conditions change between now and 2049. Some animals are more directly affected by warmer temperatures, Yellowstone cutthroat trout and pikas for example. Native fish, like cut- throat trout, have evolved to live in cold water and can't survive in wa- ters above a certain temperature. As park waters warm, the cold water habitat these fish depend on will shrink. ey will have to find pockets of cold water or migrate to places(higher elevations) with cooler water. Pika do best in the cooler temperatures common at higher elevations. As average summer temperatures across the park continue to increase, the suitable habitat available to pikas will contract. Over the winter, snow acts as an insulator for the pikas, shielding them from extremely cold temperatures. As the snowpack gets thinner, though, pikas and other animals, including overwintering insects, will lose that protection, adversely affecting their survival rates from one year to the next. Some animals are indirectly affected because the changing climate is driving changes in the availability of the food they depend on. In the spring, ungulates follow patterns of green-up and snow melt across the landscape. e predators follow their prey. As the timing and locations of these patterns change, the entire ecosystem is changing, reacting, and rearranging itself in response to the new conditions. is change in timing is wide-reaching, affecting more than just the large mammals most visitors are familiar with. For example, migrating birds depend on certain foods and favorable weather conditions when they arrive in the spring. e successful pollination of flowering plants largely depends on the timing of insect emergence overlapping with when plants bloom. e success of these events up till now has based on the historic climate, not on a future climate that will be different. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS POINT AT A MACRO LEVEL TO MITIGATE UNDESIRABLE OUTCOMES AS YOU DESCRIBE THEM? e rate and magnitude of future changes to the climate are still to be determined. at's good news, because the magnitude of undesirable outcomes by 2049 still depends on the choices we make between now and then. It will be a mistake to downplay the importance of choosing wisely. Some drivers of current and future climate change are already locked in, so we need to anticipate the likely range of future Yellowstones and adjust our strategies to mitigate unacceptable outcomes. e new normal is rapid and continual change. Yellowstone, and other land management agencies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, are re-assessing our conservation goals and strategies, taking likely future climate scenarios into consideration to improve our chances for success. For example, Yellowstone resource managers are currently introducing native cutthroat trout into high elevation streams because those locations are more likely than lower elevation streams to retain the cold water habitat needed by the fish now and in the future. WHAT CAN THE TOWNS AT THE ENTRY POINTS OF COOKE CITY, GARDINER AND WEST YELLOWSTONE DO TO HELP PARK ECOLOGY AND CREATE POSI- TIVE HUMAN IMPACT? Gateway communities have a huge potential to educate and inform the millions of visitors that pass through their stores and hotels each year. Help people understand that their actions have impacts. Leading by example is very effective. Highlight local efforts that celebrate water and energy conservation, along with recycling and reusing materi- als to reduce waste. is raises awareness that individual actions have consequences and supports the park's efforts to be a good steward of the natural and cultural resources protected within the park. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE PARK CAN DO TO HELP ALTER THE MORE HARMFUL ASPECTS OF SCIENTIFIC PRO- JECTIONS? Be aware of your impact and try to reduce unnecessary wear and tear on park resources. For example, when visitors park outside of desig- nated parking areas or use unofficial social trails, they damage native vegetation, compact the soil, and increase the chance that invasive, non-native plants will become established. When park rangers restrict fishing because of hot temperatures, respect these closures and help educate your fellow anglers about how these restrictions help to protect our native fisheries. When possible, share rides. Fewer vehicles entering the park reduces harmful emissions, parking lot congestion, and wait- ing lines at entrance stations. Yellowstone Dystopia: Dali in YP by Larry Blackwood NYTimes on Yellowstone Park's future www.distinctlymontana.com/yellowstone193 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL

• Cover