Changing Habitat Zones

glacier_animation

Melting Glaciers make way for pioneering plants and conifer forests.

Dan Fagre at the USGS in West Glacier, Montana has studied Climate Change in the park in a variety of ways. The most memorable for me is this model of a changing habitat. The changes are drastic and it’s hard to imagine this kind of landscape-wide change without a big switch being tripped to accelerate the process.

Fagre surveys the glaciers by mapping their boundaries and creating repeat photos to compare to historical photos. Currently,  a small airplane drone is being tested to photo map the landscape to accurately record vegetation and snow and ice pattern changes.

For more info:

Modeling Glacier Change

A Race Against Time

Repeat Photography Project