Applications of Trace-Element and Stable-Isotope Geochemistry to Wildlife Issues, Yellowstone National Park and Vicinity

    January 2007 in “ Lincoln (University of Nebraska) ”
    M.A. Chaffee, Wayne C. Shanks, Robert O. Rye, Charles C. Shwartz, Monique Adams, Robert R. Carlson, J.G. Crock, Pamela A. Gemery-Hill, Kerry A. Gunther, Cynthia L. Kester, Harley D. King, Shannon Podruzny
    TLDR Geochemical methods help manage wildlife by revealing toxic elements and diet details in Yellowstone.
    The document described three investigations that applied geochemical techniques to wildlife management in Yellowstone National Park. The first study analyzed the scat of bison, elk, and moose, revealing high concentrations of elements like arsenic and mercury, which could be toxic to wildlife. The second study focused on mercury levels in cutthroat and lake trout, showing that mercury from sublacustrine hot springs was transferred up the food chain to grizzly bears. The third study used stable-isotope compositions to analyze grizzly bear diets, highlighting the consumption of whitebark pine nuts and cutthroat trout. These studies demonstrated the potential of geochemical methods to inform wildlife management and ecological studies in the park.
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