ALPINE AND SUBALPINE ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH

This research project is mainly about terrestrial ecology of alpine and subalpine environments, but also includes components on atmospheric interactions with these environments as well as components on outputs from these environments.  Principle outputs addressed here are water and wildlife.

The geographical areas addressed directly in this research include the Snowy Range of southeastern Wyoming, the Wind River Range of west central Wyoming, the Absaroka Range south and east of Yellowstone Park, the Gros Ventre Range of western Wyoming, and the Uinta Range of north east Utah.  Most of these mountain ranges form natural boundaries around the Upper Green River Basin.

A strictly functional definition of high elevation for this proposal is defined as ecosystems 3,000 meter (or 10,000 feet) above sea level.  A more ecologically precise definition of alpine is ecosystems above timberline (or tree line).  Sub-alpine would be ecosystems just below timberline (or tree line).

The several research questions addressed here include:

• Climate change at high elevations
• Deposition and impacts of nitrogen at high elevation
• Monitoring of precipitation levels and precipitation chemistry at high elevations
• Revegetation of high elevation environments
• Wildlife issues at high elevations.
• Correlation of alpine lake water chemistry and soil chemistry.

Stephen Earl Williams
Department of Renewable Resources
College of Agriculture
The University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY  82071
Phone:  307-766-2683
FAX:  307-766-6403

Email:  sewms@uwyo.edu