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Montana Stressors and Management

 1. Montana's Human Stressors

The first human stressor is located in the Yellowstone River. Even though it is Montana's largest free flowing river it is still affected by human activity. Stressors like bank stabilization, diversion dams, water withdrawals, altered hydrographs, thermographs, and sediment regimes from the dams turbines. This has a huge impact on the fish and other aquatic life that inhabit this river. The aquatic life is important because of the fresh water source and food source for land base wildlife.

The second stressor is in Northeastern Montana. Things like pesticide, fertilizers and supplements that are given to the livestock seeps into the fresh water environments and effect the local wildlife. This effect has a great impact on the local amphibian population. The effects from these stressors have diminished the local toad and caused birth defects among them. This is very negative to the wild life because the amphibian wildlife is part of the base of the local food chain. This would have a devastating impact of the local wildlife that is apart of this food chain.

The third is in Glacier National Park. The most destructive human factor I could find is the introduction of invasive species. There are about 127 nonnative species of plants in this park have either invaded or been placed there intentionally. Over 800 sites have been found with nuisance plants impacting about 2,500 acres of land. Because of the absence of limitations of their original environment the invasive plants often leads to plants that are extremely prolific and tends to lead to monocultures that are difficult or even impossible to displace. Another invader is in the local fish population. Nonnative fish introduction has been a practice since the 70s. The result of this has the invasive species out competing the native trout species. Since the native fish population is crucial to the other wild life like bears and other animals that feed on them. 

2. Climate change Impact

 The climate change impact on the Yellowstone River would be drought. Since the rise of temperature cause higher evaporation it levels. The area around the river would hive dryer vegetation and more wildfires. The wildlife such as migratory birds will have their time to migrate. For fish like cutthroat trout will have decrease in trout fry hatching.

The climate change effect on the Northeastern part of Montana. The climate change would cause the mountains snow caps to completely melt away. Higher temperatures will have crops to have fewer yields in their harvest. Higher temps will also cause more wildfires because the drought climate change causes and this will increase the severity and frequency of the fires. For forest climate change will increase forest growing seasons but it will also increase the likely hood of being infested with pest such as bark beetles. It will cause some human health problems as well. The elderly will suffer from heat stress and other heat related health problems. Those with low income are also at risk because of the lack of air conditioning units. The population may also experience some power failures.

For Glacier National Park the effects of climate change will be similar to that of the Northeastern part of Montana. Just like its name sake there are glaciers in this national park. Located at the tops of cliffs and mountains these glaciers were there since the little Ice Age until 1850. They have retreated naturally but now they are at risk of being lost forever. Fires are also a risk. since drought levels will increase with higher temperatures turns forest into a giant tinder box. Scientist have know found that the climate change has doubled the amount of acres burned in the park.

3. Conservation Plans

For the Yellowstone river there are several things we can do to protect it. We can find ways for fish to get through the dam such as structures called fish ladders that help migrating fish get through the dam without getting hurt. Another is watch the pollutions levels from fertilizers. We can try to create stronger structures against the banks of some of the weak parts of the river to prevent erosion destructions. We should also find alternate ways to water the vegetation around the river so the plants will not dry up.

For the north eastern part of Montana we need to find conservations for both the forest and the animals. For aiding the toad population we need to see if the effects of human stressors are negatively the amphibian population in other ways. We should also find ways to divert the run off of fertilizers and supplements so it does not effect the population while they are still developing in the water. We also need to find ways to regulate the forest fires because to much and it could devastate it rather than naturally help it. We also need to find a way to decrease CO2 emissions so that the snow on the tops of the mountain peeks will not completely melt away. We must preserve this part of Montana because it is part of its natural beauty. It will not just help the wildlife and the health of the state but also for people who are affected by the effects of climate change.

For Glacier National park we need to do a lot more for this area. We need to get rid of the invasive plant and fish species that have taken up residents in this park. Many of the fauna depend on the local plants for food so if the alien species take over and the animals that feast on the native plants will starve. Also some of the invasive plants could be poisonous. If some of the animals do eat these poison plants because they have no knowledge of them they will quickly die off. For fish the local trout is important for many wild life like bears, eagles, and other fishes. If the trout disappear then the fish predators will all die of or have to resort to find another food source. They also have no experience with the invasive fish so they may never find a way to catch them in time. Of course we must find ways to better preserve our forest from extreme forest fires because it could not only harm the local wild life but also human settlement as well

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Montana Fishery Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources. Montana Fishery Project: Anthropogenic Habitat Change Effects on Fish Assemblages of the Middle and Lower Yellowstone River: Phase II. (n.d.). https://www1.usgs.gov/coopunits/project/41800839169/zale.

Initiative, A. R. and M. (n.d.). Stressors. ARMI. https://armi.usgs.gov/topic.php?topic=Stressors.

U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Environmental Factors. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/nature/environmentalfactors.htm.

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