Moonlight Basin Resort in Montana has launched the second season of its Big Sky Institute lectures. The popular series features researchers and educators from the greater Bozeman and Yellowstone areas, and covers a range of topics centering on natural history and the environment.
Presentations are given in the Moonlight Basin Pony Express Lodge, and admission is free - although the resort suggests a food donation for the Gallatin Valley Food Bank. Each lecture begins at 6pm.
The next lecture on February 22nd will focus on Wolves and Elk in the Upper Gallatin Drainage. The lecture will cover the fact that most studies of wolves and their prey have focused on predation rates. However, wolf - elk interactions are much more complex than, “kill and be killed”. Elk respond to the threat of wolf predation with a suite of anti-predation behaviors, and these behaviors often differ between bulls and cows. These behavioral interactions and their possible influences on wolf and elk populations are the center of three winters of research conducted by this Montana State University doctoral candidate.
On March 8th Amanda Hardy presents, “Why did the elk cross the road? Wildlife and transportation issues in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.” Amanda Hardy reports that human quality of life relies heavily upon transportation systems. Wildlife move across landscapes to access water, food and mates. Transportation and wildlife conflicts are inevitable, especially in areas with high traffic levels and healthy wildlife populations. With increasing traffic and continued growth and development in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, it is increasingly important to understand where these conflicts are occurring and apply measures to decrease impacts to the ecosystem and the wildlife that make this region so special. This lecture will present an overview of transportation and ecological issues in the west and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, as well the current “state of the practice” for mitigating these impacts.
On March 22nd “Yellowstone geologic history and future disasters.” Will be presented by Kenneth L. Pierce, Scientist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey.
This lecture will examine the controversy about what recent geologic activity in the Yellowstone caldera signifies. A controversy rages about what drives this hot spot activity. The last large volcanic eruption occurred 640,000 years ago. Since the last glaciation about 15,000 years ago, this caldera has inflated, deflated and changed the level of Yellowstone Lake. Does this unrest signal an impending eruption?
Finally on April 5th, “Human population of wildlands: a history and future effects in the Greater Yellowstone area” is presented by Andy Hansen. This lecture investigates the fact that like much of the Rocky Mountain West, the human population in the Greater Yellowstone area is growing rapidly. Many of the newcomers choose to live in rural homes in attractive natural settings. How can rural homeowners interact with wildlife with minimal conflicts? This talk will examine rates of growth of rural homes across Greater Yellowstone, evaluate effects of rural homes on wildlife, and discuss ways that rural homeowners can “live more lightly” on the land.
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