The impact of human-caused noise on wildlife in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks is the topic of the weekly summer lecture series Thursday, June 27, at the University of Wyoming-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Center. The center is located at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park.
Shan Burson from the National Park Service will discuss “Natural and Non-natural Soundscapes and Their Study in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem” at 6:30 p.m. at the AMK Ranch, located north of Leeks Marina. A barbecue, at a cost of $5 per person, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are not required. For more information, call the UW-NPS Center at (307) 543-2463.
Burson says hearing natural sounds is important to visitors in national parks, and transmitting and receiving sounds also are critical for reproduction and survival in many species. But human activities often negate natural soundscapes, so the National Park Service strives to minimize factors that reduce natural sounds.
Burson will present a brief history of soundscape research in Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, augmented by examples of acoustic research techniques and field recordings.
The UW-NPS Research Center provides a base for university faculty members and government scientists from throughout North America to conduct research in the diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments of Grand Teton National Park and the greater Yellowstone area.
