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Watersheds and Vegetation of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Author(s) -
MARSTON RICHARD A.,
ANDERSON JAY E.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1111/j.1523-1739.1991.tb00147.x
Subject(s) - ecosystem , vegetation (pathology) , environmental science , watershed , terrestrial ecosystem , ecology , geography , medicine , pathology , machine learning , computer science , biology
This paper describes major watershed systems and broad patterns of vegetation within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, explains the geographic links between these systems, and proposes factors that could be used to measure the integrity (condition and naturalness) of watersheds and vegetation The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem can be geographically defined as the Yellowstone Plateau and elevations in the 14 surrounding mountain ranges above the 2130‐meter (7000‐foot) control: certain lower elevations need to be included to account for some ecological processes. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the headwaters for three major continental‐scale river systems: the Missouri‐Mississippi, Snake‐Columbia, and Green‐Colorado. Features, processes, and materials of watersheds provide structure and key functions to ecosystems of Greater Yellowstone. Changes in elevation—and the accordant changes in precipitation, temperature, land forms, and the stream network–exert the strongest control on the distribution of plant species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The condition and naturalness of watersheds and vegetation remain to be quantified but both decline with distance away from the core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem due to timber harvest, oil and gas exploration and development, mineral exploration and development, reservoir operations, flood control, agricultural development, and livestock grazing.