A comprehensive rapid-assessment approach for research agenda development: elk (Cervus elaphus) at Yellowstone National Park

Larkin, Jeffrey; Treanor, John; Cox, John; Loring, Heather; Maehr, David; Plumb, Glenn

In 1992, The National Research Council (NRC) summarized the broadest purposes for research in national parks as 1) to determine what resources are present in order to protect, manage, and detect changes in them; 2) to understand the natural dynamics and processes of populations, ecosystems, and other park resources; and 3) to assess the effects of specific threats and to devise and evaluate management responses. In order to successfully act upon these recommendations, individual parks must move into the real of local science planning and implementation. We developed a systematic, rapid assessment approach that incorporated conceptual models and a critical review of published literature to identify knowledge gaps regarding elk ecology on Yellowstone National Park's (YNP) northern range. Additionally, to demonstrate the potential utility of integrating our understanding of existing knowledge gaps with management issues, we developed an "urgency" index that addressed issues of temporal dynamics and issues of management concern in YNP. Our findings revealed that with respect to elk in YNP, relations with parent material and beaver have yet to be scientifically addressed, while geothermal features/events and topographic influences have been inadequately researched in comparison to other system components. In contrast, elk relations with grassland and fire have been relatively well studied in the YNP. After accounting for management urgency, our model indicated those elk-centric topics concerning disease, predation, beaver, humans, and competition should receive the highest research priority, and those involving elk relations with grasslands, coniferous forest, topography, and aspen should receive the least. Our process provided a series of logical steps for organizing research results via a system perspective, and a way of linking science with management. We encourage other parks to utilize this method to develop robust conceptual frameworks that underpin long-lived and integrated systems-oriented science programs to better understand and manage park resources.