Drought, fires, and large mammals

摘要: ellowstone National Park is renowned for its fauna of diverse and numerous large mammals. There are hundreds black grizzly bears (Ursus americanus Ursus arctos) that roam the area, coyotes (Canis latrans) mountain lions (Felis concolor) as well, but ungulates far outnumber them. Approximately 2500 bison (Bison bison) inhabit park in three herds (Meagher 1973, 1988). also approximately mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), 400-500 pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana), 250-400 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), 200 moose (Alces alces) on Yellowstone's northern winter range. In winter, four elk (Cervus elaphus), 22,500 individuals 1988, adjacent areas part range (Figure 1). Elk from five other migrate into each summer, increasing population to 31,000.1 This article focuses elk, because they overwhelmingly dominant ungulate both number total mass. early 1988 range, there were Fires directly killed few fires drought increased next winter's die-off