DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Ecological Insight From Temperate, Large-Mammal Death Assemblages in Yellowstone National Park

这是第一次评估骨骼记录在温带环境中对大型哺乳动物(有蹄类)种群进行生态分析的有效性的研究。将调查黄石国家公园(YNP)四个栖息地的表面骨骼堆积(过去几代人的遗迹)，以了解物种代表和分解状态。这一样带数据将与数十年的活人口普查数据进行比较，以求在物种组成和栖息地占用方面取得一致。此外，对已知死亡年限的身体的观察将阐明骨骼衰减率，从而说明骨骼组合所代表的时间。这些努力将评估利用骨骼组合作为哺乳动物种群历史信息来源的情况，从而有助于保护和管理工作。鉴于全球变暖和对北极国家野生动物保护区等研究较少的系统构成的其他人为威胁，必须获得历史视角，以适当评估生态扰动。了解温带死亡组合的生态意义也将加强对冰河时代化石组合的解释。这项工作的更广泛影响包括提高了对(1)温带死亡聚集近似来源群落的准确性，以及(2)温带大型哺乳动物骨骼积累所代表的时间的理解。这样的见解对于基于骨骼组合得出生态学结论的领域是有价值的，包括保护生物学、野生动物管理、体质人类学和古生物学。此外，本科生的研究是通过现场助学金来培养的。最后，YNP拥有许多公共教育场所，每年有300万游客，为在研究现场与公众分享研究成果提供了绝佳的机会。

This is the first study to evaluate the utility of bone records for ecological analysis of large-mammal (ungulate) populations in temperate environments. The surface bone accumulations (the remains of past generations) of four habitats of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) will be surveyed for species representation and state of decomposition. This transect data will be compared to decades of census data on living populations for agreement in species composition and habitat occupation. In addition, observations of carcasses with known years-since-death will illuminate bone decay rates and thus the time represented by skeletal assemblages. These efforts will evaluate the use of bone assemblages as sources of historical information on mammal populations, thus aiding conservation and management efforts. Given global warming and other anthropogenic threats to poorly studied systems such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, it is imperative to gain historical perspectives to properly evaluate ecological perturbations. Understanding the ecological significance of temperate death assemblages will also enhance interpretations of Ice Age fossil assemblages. The broader impacts of this work include improved understanding of (1) the accuracy with which temperate death assemblages approximate source communities, and (2) the time represented by temperate, large-mammal bone accumulations. Such insights are valuable to fields that base ecological conclusions on bone assemblages, including conservation biology, wildlife management, physical anthropology, and paleontology. Additionally, undergraduate research is fostered through field assistantships. Finally, with many public education venues, and 3 million annual visitors, YNP offers an excellent opportunity to share research outcomes with the public at the study site.