Resource Briefs & Hot Topics

Alpine vegetation combines biological diversity with scenic beauty at the heart of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. However, the extent and diversity of alpine habitats are currently being threatened by the potential of treeline ecotones to move upward. Scientists and staff at Glacier National Park are committed to the anticipation and interpretation of the changing alpine environments.

Until recently, little information has existed about bat populations in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. But recent research is determining presence, hibernation locations, and types of species that make their home here. Using acoustical surveys and mist nets to capture bats, three new species of bats have been identified, making a total of nine bat species now known in Glacier National Park.

The common loon is listed as a Species of Concern in Montana. Glacier National Park harbors an estimated 20% of the state's breeding population. For over a decade, Glacier researchers and citizen scientists have conducted surveys on key park lakes during breeding season, part of a statewide effort to monitor and manage risks to common loon populations.

The natural cycle of a forest involves fire and subsequent revegetation. A newly burned area is great for new plant growth, but is also susceptible to noxious weed infestation. Invasive weeds can outcompete native plants and ruin biodiversity. Care must be taken by firefighters managing the blaze and those monitoring fire effects so invasive seeds do not take hold.

Though Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is a site devoted to history, preserving its grassland ecology remains integral to the park's mission. A history of lightning ignited wildfires and Native American land-use burning practices preserved the native vegetation. Now the park balances protection of cultural artifacts with a natural fire regime.

A favorite of birders, colorful harlequin ducks breed and raise their chicks in Glacier National Park's clear, fast-moving streams. Listed as a species of concern in Montana, harlequins are facing threats from climate change, habitat loss, and human disturbance. Although the harlequin population in Glacier remains stable, these birds are declining throughout the West. Park biologists are monitoring the ducks and collaborating with harlequin researchers throughout the region.

Buried in Glacier's melting ice are archeological and paleontological materials encased hundreds, or even thousands of years ago. A recent five-year collaborative research project investigated 46 ice patches in the park, taking core samples, documenting melting, and collecting remains of ancient plants and animals, including bison.

Invasive weeds pose a real threat to the park ecosystem. Invasives outcompete native plants and alter wildlife habitat. Glacier uses multiple methods and treatments to minimize the impact of invasive plants. Resource managers work with park staff and volunteers to detect new, invasive plant species in hopes of catching infestations early. An annual Noxious Weed Blitz is held to educate participants on noxious weeds and to pull invasives on key trails.

Mountain goats are one of Glacier National Park's iconic species, yet little is known about their population size and distribution. To monitor the goat population and detect any changes in overall population, park managers and researchers use ground surveys conducted by citizen scientists and studies from individual collared goats.

Human development and the use of artificial light at night have significantly altered the darkness of night skies, affecting the natural rhythms of life on earth. Low levels of light pollution in Glacier allow visitors to experience spectacular views of the night skies. In 2017, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park received provisional status as an International Dark Sky Park through the International Dark Sky Association.

The introduction of non-native species results in an ecological struggle to maintain balance. Unequipped to compete with invasives, native species populations decline. Many of Glacier’s aquatic ecosystems have been impacted by the invasion of non-native fish species, such as lake trout. There is also the looming threat of exotic plants and mussels. The park answers these threats with education, fishing and boating regulations, and experimental restoration projects.

Glacier's forests see continual change, but some recent changes are cause for concern among visitors and researchers. Natural factors, like drought, are compounded by rising temperatures and forest pathogens, affecting tree health and resulting in swaths of sickly or dead trees. As the climate warms, we continue to analyze and assess the cumulative impacts to our forests.

Bull trout and other native fish species are under siege. Non-native fish were introduced to the region in the first half of the 1900s. Those fish, especially lake trout, outcompete and prey upon bull trout. Glacier’s fishing and boating regulations, along with joint-agency restoration projects at key lakes, take aim at non-native species in an attempt to restore natural integrity to park waters.