Responses of Nematodes to Ungulate Herbivory on Bluebunch Wheatgrass and Idaho Fescue in Yellowstone National Park

Abstract

The effects of ungulate grazing on the Northern winter range of Yellowstone National Park has recently received considerable attention. Early interest in this topic centered around the question to cull or not to cull elk in the Park. However, as the concepts of "maintaining ecological processes" (Houston 1982) and "ecosystem management" (Keiter 1991) have gained acceptance in Park management, understanding the dynamics and interactions of a broader array of herbivores inhabiting the Park will become increasingly important. In 1990, we studied the responses of Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) and bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum) and their associated nematode communities to ungulate herbivory.