The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park
When Yellowstone National Park (YNP) was established in 1872, American bison (Bison bison) were living in the park's forests and mountains.A study conducted in the 1960s concluded that those were Mountain bison (Bison bison athabascae), a subspecies adapted to mountain habitat. It was assumed t...
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ftbioone:10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 2024-06-02T08:04:27+00:00 The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park Richard B. Keigley Richard B. Keigley world 2019-05-13 text/HTML https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 en eng Society for Range Management doi:10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 Text 2019 ftbioone https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 2024-05-07T00:47:22Z When Yellowstone National Park (YNP) was established in 1872, American bison (Bison bison) were living in the park's forests and mountains.A study conducted in the 1960s concluded that those were Mountain bison (Bison bison athabascae), a subspecies adapted to mountain habitat. It was assumed that those historical bison occupied their native habitat and had done so in prehistoric times.When archaeological evidence of YNP bison was discovered in the mid-1990s it seemed reasonable to assume that those bones were derived from a herd of native prehistoric bison.However, a review of archaeological, historical, genetic, and ecological evidence suggests a different history. Namely, herds of bison were absent before 1840. Sometime between 1840 and the mid-1850s, plains bison were driven into the mountain forest in and near YNP. In those forests, bison were relatively safe from horse-mounted, bow-and-arrow-armed Native American hunters.Archaeological evidence suggests that YNPs prehistoric bison were bulls that left herds on the low-elevation plains that surround the park; the bulls would have traveled up mountain drainages to the Yellowstone volcanic plateau.Bison played no significant role in the ecological processes that shaped YNPs prehistoric landscape. YNPs modern bison herd is causing significant changes in range condition. Text Bison bison athabascae Mountain Bison Bison bison bison Plains Bison BioOne Online Journals Rangelands 41 2 107 120 |
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BioOne Online Journals |
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ftbioone |
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English |
description |
When Yellowstone National Park (YNP) was established in 1872, American bison (Bison bison) were living in the park's forests and mountains.A study conducted in the 1960s concluded that those were Mountain bison (Bison bison athabascae), a subspecies adapted to mountain habitat. It was assumed that those historical bison occupied their native habitat and had done so in prehistoric times.When archaeological evidence of YNP bison was discovered in the mid-1990s it seemed reasonable to assume that those bones were derived from a herd of native prehistoric bison.However, a review of archaeological, historical, genetic, and ecological evidence suggests a different history. Namely, herds of bison were absent before 1840. Sometime between 1840 and the mid-1850s, plains bison were driven into the mountain forest in and near YNP. In those forests, bison were relatively safe from horse-mounted, bow-and-arrow-armed Native American hunters.Archaeological evidence suggests that YNPs prehistoric bison were bulls that left herds on the low-elevation plains that surround the park; the bulls would have traveled up mountain drainages to the Yellowstone volcanic plateau.Bison played no significant role in the ecological processes that shaped YNPs prehistoric landscape. YNPs modern bison herd is causing significant changes in range condition. |
author2 |
Richard B. Keigley |
format |
Text |
author |
Richard B. Keigley |
spellingShingle |
Richard B. Keigley The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park |
author_facet |
Richard B. Keigley |
author_sort |
Richard B. Keigley |
title |
The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park |
title_short |
The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park |
title_full |
The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park |
title_fullStr |
The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Prehistoric Bison of Yellowstone National Park |
title_sort |
prehistoric bison of yellowstone national park |
publisher |
Society for Range Management |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 |
op_coverage |
world |
genre |
Bison bison athabascae Mountain Bison Bison bison bison Plains Bison |
genre_facet |
Bison bison athabascae Mountain Bison Bison bison bison Plains Bison |
op_source |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 |
op_relation |
doi:10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 |
op_rights |
All rights reserved. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2018.11.004 |
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Rangelands |
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41 |
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107 |
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120 |
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