Report: Climate change impacting Yellowstone resources

POWELL, Wyo. – Yellowstone park managers are worried that changing climate in northwest Wyoming is already impacting the national park’s key natural resources.

The new report from park rangers released Tuesday says average temperatures in the area are higher than usual, resulting a variety of changes to the ecosystem.

The Powell Tribune reports some of the changes observed at the park include a longer growing season that is beneficial to both land and aquatic invasive species; altered streams flows, in part due to declining snowpack and peak river flows that are happening earlier in the year; and alpine plant life and water quality.

The warmer temperatures are also negatively impacting wildlife.

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Information from: Powell (Wyo.) Tribune, http://www.powelltribune.com