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

这是第一个评估骨记录在温带环境中大型哺乳动物（有蹄类）种群生态分析中的效用的研究。将对黄石国家公园（YNP）四个栖息地的地表骨积累（过去世代的遗骸）进行物种代表性和分解状态的调查。这些样带数据将与几十年的现存种群普查数据进行比较，以确定物种组成和栖息地占用的一致性。此外，对已知死亡时间的尸体的观察将阐明骨骼腐烂率，从而阐明骨骼组合所代表的时间。这些工作将评估骨骼组合作为哺乳动物种群历史信息来源的使用，从而有助于保护和管理工作。考虑到全球变暖和其他人为威胁对北极国家野生动物保护区等研究不足的系统的影响，获得历史视角来正确评估生态扰动是势在必行的。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对(1)温带死亡组合近似源群落的准确性，以及(2)温带大型哺乳动物骨骼积累所代表的时间的理解。这些见解对基于骨骼组合的生态学结论的领域很有价值，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，本科研究是通过实地助教培养。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.