Global Change Research at Glacier National Park

Investigators: Joseph D. White and Steven W. Running

Cooperative research between the University of Montana, the National Forest Service, and the National Park Service is being conducted at Glacier National Park to assess the effects of global climate change on:

1) water resources and aquatic ecosystems,
2) forest vegetation patterns,
3) fire frequency, and
4) tree-line migration.
Stream gauge, weather, snow, and forest and field data are being accumulated for selected sites within the Lake McDonald and St. Mary's watersheds. This data, coupled with satellite and elevation information will be used to run computer models to assess forest ecosystem production and change under different climate scenarios. These computer model simulations will be used to help park managers predict how forests and meadows of the parks will look given the expected trend in climate change. This process will also help estimate which areas in the park will become more susceptible to fire and which communities, such as alpine and stream bottoms, may become rare and threatened under a warmer, future climate.

Funding: U.S. National Park Service, National Biological Survey

 

Lake McDonald Study Areas
Leaf Area Index: Lake McDonald and St. Mary's Lake
Lake McDonald Vegetation Map
Lake McDonald Annual Net Primary Productivity (1987 1989)
Lake McDonald Annual Net Primary Productivity (1990)
Lake McDonald Simulated vs. Observed Hydrologic Discharge: 1986-90
Lake McDonald Snow Water Equivalent Map
Going-to-the-Sun Road Snowpack: March 31, 1996
Stream Temperature Models

Links to Glacier National Park homepage, and the National Biological Service Glacier Field Station homepage.


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