Initial Publication Date: August 28, 2006
Geobiology
This page was written by Denny Capps as part of the DLESE Community Services Project: Integrating Research in Education.
Canary hot spring. Details
Elk in winter. Details
Thermophiles
Resources describing Yellowstone's thermophiles.
Show me information about thermophiles
Hide- Life at High Temperatures. This website gives an overview of the various forms of life that exist in Yellowstone National Park's thermal features. Seventeen topics can be browsed in order or selected from a menu. Topics include hidden biological resources, microbial mats, types... ( This site may be offline. )
- Microbiology in Yellowstone National Park. This site describes how Yellowstone National Park is a focal point for cutting-edge microbiology research and how it provides a valuable setting for outreach education. Topics include questions for park officials, extremophiles... (more info)
- Thermal Biology Institute. The goals of the Thermal Biology Institute's webpage are to present cutting-edge research focused on the biology of geothermal systems, to promote collaboration among researchers and resource agencies, and to advance public education on the biocomplexity of geothermal environments. Information is organized by topic including hot topics, research, current events, outreach, education, and electronic resources. (more info)
- Wetland Resources of Yellowstone National Park. This Yellowstone National Park online report provides an overview of the park's wetlands and associated flora and fauna. Chapters include wetland plants, wetlands and wildlife, wetlands and people, thermal wetlands, a wetland inventory, wetland classification and acreage, and others. Information is presented as text, photos, graphs, tables, and maps. (more info)
- Yellowstone National Park Online Slide File. This Yellowstone National Park website contains thousands of photographs of the Park. Images are organized by category including fire, thermal features, mammals, park structures, petrified trees, water, weather, scenics, and more. The photographs may be freely downloaded and more are being added through time. (more info)
- Yellowstone Resources and Issues. This Yellowstone National Park online book is a compendium of concise information about the park's history, natural and cultural resources, issues, and major areas. Chapters, which are downloadable as PDF files, focus on the history of the park, the yellowstone ecosystem, geology, life in extreme heat (as in the hot springs), vegetation, fire in yellowstone, wildlife, and park issues. (more info)
- Yellowstone Resources and Issues Guide - Astrobiology. This report explores the connection between geomicrobiology and astrobiology, explaining NASA's interest in the natural history of Yellowstone National Park. Multi-institution research teams are attempting to use Yellowstone's geothermal systems to understand how life began on Earth and how it could exist on other planetary bodies. Topics include the origin and evolution of life, and the current and future directions in the exploration for life elsewhere in the universe. (more info)
Macroflora
Resources describing macroflora in Yellowstone.
- Environmental Setting of the Yellowstone River Basin, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. This U.S. Geological Survey report describes the natural and anthropogenic factors believed to influence water quality in the Yellowstone River Basin. Topics include physiography, climate, geology, vegetation, surface water, stream ecology, groundwater, anthropogenic factors, integrated environmental settings, and others. Text is supported by numerous maps, graphs, charts, diagrams, and tables. (more info)
- Wildland fires in Yellowstone. This Yellowstone National Park website is the home page for wildland fire information. Fire information is presented as links, a map, and a table. Links include information to fire ecology, the 1988 fires, the wildland fire management plan, and numerous other topics. The table provides yearly information on each fire's cause, start date, status, and acres burned. Important fires have links to additional information. (more info)
- Yellowstone National Park Facts. This Yellowstone National Park website provides a fact sheet with a wide range of physical and cultural information. Key topics include general park facts, wildlife, flora, geology, Yellowstone Lake, cultural resources, visitation, facilities, roads, trails, and the latitude/longitude of several significant features. (more info)
- Yellowstone National Park Online Slide File. This Yellowstone National Park website contains thousands of photographs of the Park. Images are organized by category including fire, thermal features, mammals, park structures, petrified trees, water, weather, scenics, and more. The photographs may be freely downloaded and more are being added through time. (more info)
- Yellowstone Resources and Issues. This Yellowstone National Park online book is a compendium of concise information about the park's history, natural and cultural resources, issues, and major areas. Chapters, which are downloadable as PDF files, focus on the history of the park, the yellowstone ecosystem, geology, life in extreme heat (as in the hot springs), vegetation, fire in yellowstone, wildlife, and park issues. (more info)
- Yellowstone in the Afterglow: Lessons from the Fires. This report describes the 1988 wildfires in Yellowstone National Park and their effect on natural and cultural resources. Chapters include the role of fire in Yellowstone, the summer of 1988, the human aftermath, changes in the landscape, wildlife, watershed and stream dynamics, and others. Over 100 pages of information are presented as text, photos, graphs, tables, and maps. The report is available in html or PDF formats. (more info)
Macrofauna
Resources describing Yellowstone's macrofauna.
- Geologic Overview of a Bison-Carcass Site at Norris Geyser Basin, March 2004. This Yellowstone National Park report describes the conditions that apparently caused the death of five bison near the Norris Geyser Basin. The bison appear to have died from hydrogen sulfide and/or carbon dioxide emitted from nearby gas vents. This PDF file contains text, data, and photographs that explain the Park scientist's findings. (more info)
- Yellowstone National Park Facts. This Yellowstone National Park website provides a fact sheet with a wide range of physical and cultural information. Key topics include general park facts, wildlife, flora, geology, Yellowstone Lake, cultural resources, visitation, facilities, roads, trails, and the latitude/longitude of several significant features. (more info)
- Yellowstone National Park Online Slide File. This Yellowstone National Park website contains thousands of photographs of the Park. Images are organized by category including fire, thermal features, mammals, park structures, petrified trees, water, weather, scenics, and more. The photographs may be freely downloaded and more are being added through time. (more info)
- Yellowstone Resources and Issues. This Yellowstone National Park online book is a compendium of concise information about the park's history, natural and cultural resources, issues, and major areas. Chapters, which are downloadable as PDF files, focus on the history of the park, the yellowstone ecosystem, geology, life in extreme heat (as in the hot springs), vegetation, fire in yellowstone, wildlife, and park issues. (more info)
Maps
Maps related to Yellowstone's geobiology.
- Digital Atlas of the Greater Yellowstone Area. This online atlas provides a wide array of maps of the natural and socio-economic features of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and surrounding areas. The maps are made from GIS layers, and users can select from many types of information such as satellite imagery and topographic maps. Map areas include Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Gallatin County, and several other areas. A list of additional web resources with metadata is also provided. (more info)
Additional Literature
Additional useful literature about Yellowstone.
- Greater Yellowstone Bibliography. The Greater Yellowstone Bibliography is a database with over 28,900 bibliographic citations to scholarly, popular, professional, and creative literature about the greater Yellowstone region. It includes citations for journal, magazine, and newspaper articles, as well as books, book chapters, conference papers, government documents, theses, maps, CDs, and other materials. Citations can be searched by author, subject keyword, and geographic location. ( This site may be offline. )
- Selected Products and References Related to the Yellowstone Volcanic System. This U.S. Geological Survey website provides links and references to scientific publications related to the Yellowstone Volcanic System. Products include online maps and reports. References include a bibliography of books, professional papers, bulletins, and articles, and a link to a database of research in Yellowstone Park. (more info)
- Yellowstone Science. Yellowstone Science is a quarterly publication devoted to Yellowstone National Park's natural and cultural resources. It features articles about research in the park, provides a colloquium for scientists, and offers an opportunity for the public to view this research. Articles can be searched by topic, author, or volume and may be downloaded in PDF format. (more info)
For ideas on how to use these webpages in a classroom, a Study Guide is provided.