Background

Ecosystem is a term that is used to describe an ecological unit that is composed of all of the organisms in an area and the environmental factors that influence those organisms. An ecosystem includes biological components, physical components, and natural processes. An ecosystem can be a large or a small area but the size is usually determined based on natural boundaries. Therefore, because it has a mixture of man-made, political and natural boundaries, Glacier National Park itself might not be described as an ecosystem. However, Glacier is part of the larger Crown of the Continent ecosystem. The Crown of the Continent ecosystem covers 44,000 square kilometers and is bounded by Elk River in British Columbia and Highwood River in Alberta on the north, Blackfoot River in Montana on the south, Salish Mountains on the west, and the western edge of the Great Plains on the east. Within Glacier, many different ecosystems can be described. Examples of ecosystems within Glacier National Park include the Upper McDonald Creek watershed, St. Mary Lake, and the cedar-hemlock forest (including Trail of the Cedars) near Avalanche Creek.

As part of the Crown of the Continent ecosystem, Glacier is located in the midst of one of the largest intact wild ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains. Glacier is located between Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta and Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park in British Columbia to the north and a complex of designated Wilderness Areas (the Great Bear, Bob Marshall, and Scapegoat Wildernesses) in Montana to the south. Yet, within this primarily wild landscape, human actions have altered some natural processes. In Glacier National Park, some of the most notable actions include: the building and reconstruction of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, stream channelization near developed areas, construction of dams and diversions, introductions of animals (especially fish) and plants (e.g., noxious weeds), fire suppression, and climate change. Also, even though Glacier is continuous with wild landscapes to the north and south, an assortment of manipulated lands occur to the east and west of Glacier resulting in a large natural region with nearby disturbed lands.

Research Needs

Aquatic ecology

Determine impact of human waste on aquatic systems in the park. Quantify and analyze the impact of human waste on water chemistry, biota, and productivity of park aquatic ecosystems in the backcountry and frontcountry.

Analyze impacts of Rubideau Creek diversion. Rubideau Spring is the source of domestic water for park headquarters, Apgar, and West Glacier townsite. Analyze the impact of the diversion of Rubideau Creek (especially in July and August) on downstream aquatic biota and the riparian ecosystem.

Evaluate impacts of air pollution on aquatic biota. Investigate how these effects vary with respect to watershed area, elevation, snow and ice drainage. Do pollutant levels differ between glacial-fed lakes and non-glacier-fed lakes or with amount of precipitation? Does the effect on the biota differ among trophic levels?

Ecosystem modeling

Develop and maintain a GIS database for lands adjacent to Glacier. Lands adjacent to Glacier are increasingly subject to developments that affect the park's resources. These include residential and commercial development, road construction, timber harvesting, and mineral development. Development adjacent to the park is occurring on all classifications of land: State and National Forest in Montana, Provincial Forest in British Columbia, Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and increasingly, on private lands. Glacier NP currently has no systematic, up-to-date inventory of past, current, and potential development activity on lands near its border. Without such information, park staff cannot determine how to manage their lands from an ecosystem perspective.

Landscape ecology