Time and Again: Two Meadow Views
It’s no secret that today there are significantly fewer elk in Yellowstone Park than there were in the mid-1990’s. Wolf reintroduction is one of the major reasons for this decline, since elk are a favorite prey species of wolves. Fewer elk numbers overall and a change in the foraging habits of surviving elk are thought now to be significantly responsible for a major resurgence in riparian willow growth seen recently in many areas of Yellowstone.
Here are two photographs of the same scene taken nine years apart that reveal a marked difference in willow height (and, I think, abundance). The first picture was taken in 2000, the second in 2009. This is an area that was utilized heavily by elk prior to wolf reintroduction, less so now.
It would disrespect the scientific method to not acknowledge the possibility (probability?) that other factors are at work here also. Climate change, fire history, and beaver presence/absence come easily to mind as other possible influences on willow growth and abundance.
Ferreting out absolute cause and effect in nature is never an easy thing to do, but in this case it sure appears as though the presence of wolves has played an integral part in the renewed growth of willows. Just another reminder, I suppose, of how interconnected the web of life really is.
Photo taken in 2000
Comments
John,
Great piece on something other than fishing. Has the fisherman been standing there for 9 years?
He seems to be in exactly the same spot. Isn’t nature great? For the 10 to 15 years before the wolves
were reintroduced most park biologists were lamenting that the overabundance of elk had caused the decline in the willows and the disappearance of the beaver and other species that were willow dependent.
It looks like they had that one figured out. It will be interesting to see what will happen now that the
wolf population has dropped a bit and stabilized. Never a dull moment in the wild kingdom. Is that scene in the Lamar Valley?
By Dick Senn on 05/15 2011
Eloquently stated, John…as usual.
By Kirk Giloth on 05/15 2011
Hi Dick,
Thanks for reading and commenting. Yea, it’s hard to believe the angler spent 9 years in the same spot, but that’s how long it took to catch the bank feeder rising above him. Interestingly, when he first began fishing for it the trout was only five inches long (so we estimated), but when finally captured measured twenty-four!
Truth be told, it’s coincidence that he is standing in the same spot. I didn’t revisit this scene in the nine year period between these two photos, didn’t carry a reference picture with me the second time around, owned completely different lenses the second time, and yet…almost identical results.
Kirk,
Thanks, as always, for taking the time to follow the blog.
By John Juracek on 05/15 2011
Spectacular photos, John. Many thanks for sharing.
Matt
By Matt Skoglund on 05/16 2011
John, Amazing photos—especially the composition shooting from the same place and having an almost identical human subject. The re-growth of the shrubbery along the riparian areas stirs a bit of discussion I believe. It was my thought that there was certainly an increase—then I read an article where some scientist—and I’m thinking Doug Smith may have concurred—that the wolves and the subsequent change in elk behavior were having no effect on the vegetation. But, like you my anecdotal evidence-especially along the Lamar-tells me there is significantly more willow growth from the junction of Soda Butte down to at least the old picnic area above the Buffalo Ranch. And, the aspen in the little grove just below the Lamar River bridge that’s being replaced have a tremendous amount of new suckers springing up and growing rather than being browsed. Like Dick, I always wonder where photos are taken—my guess on these two is one of the creeks on the western side of the Park just north of West. Thanks for the post. Bill
By Bill Williams on 05/16 2011
I’ve heard it said that time spent fishing doesn’t count against your total allotment. These photos seem to prove that.
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