Parks Canada

Bat monitoring in Jasper National Park supports Jasper National Park’s Multi-species Action Plan. Survey efforts are increasingly important on account of the recent detection of white-nosed syndrome in western North America and evidence that the disease is spreading more readily. Data collected...

Glaciers are an important water source in mountainous areas and significantly influence the hydrology of the watershed. Glaciers worldwide serve as indicators of climate change and have been decreasing in size at an accelerating rate since the mid-1980s. Data are collected from the Athabasca...

Both native and non-native fish inhabit many lakes and ponds across Jasper National Park. Prior to stocking practices in the past, many lakes in Jasper National Park did not have fish or had a low diversity fish assemblage. These past stocking practices have altered fish communities today....

Information regarding human-wildlife interactions in Jasper National Park is important to manage both human (eg. town residents, visitors) and wildlife needs (eg. area closures). Achieving this balance depends on data related, in part, on where animals have died or have been injured (eg highway,...

Jasper National Park uses a reference condition approach to monitor benthic macroinvertebrates in the stream and river ecosystems within the park. The taxonomic counts of the benthic macroinvertebrates from test sites are compared to that of the reference sites.

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) restoration supports Jasper National Park’s Multi-species Action Plan. Whitebark Pine is an Endangered Species protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and it has an important role as a keystone species across mountain landscapes. Seeds were collected from...

Elk (Cervus canadensis) are generally considered a keystone species across a variety of landscapes. Elk (C. canandenis nelsoni) in Jasper National Park is one of four extant subspecies of elk occurring in North America. They are an important wildlife component in the Park regarding the management...

Blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) is an introduced pathogen affecting whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and limber pine (Pinus flexilis). Whitebark pine is an endangered species protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) and Limber pine is designated as an endangered species by the...

Elk (Cervus canadensis) are generally considered a keystone species across a variety of landscapes. Elk (C. canandenis nelsoni) in Jasper National Park is one of four extant subspecies of elk occurring in North America. They are an important wildlife component in the Park regarding the management...

Bat monitoring in Jasper National Park supports Jasper National Park’s Multi-species Action Plan and it is part of the NABat continent-wide program to estimate population trends and distribution. Survey efforts are increasingly important on account of the recent detection of white-nosed syndrome...

Aquatic fish data are collected across watercourses in Jasper National Park using a variety of fish sampling methods in order to inventory fish diversity, distribution, and relative densities over time. Data collected provide resource management some of the necessary information needed to prepare...

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) is a threatened species protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). Jasper National Park provides important habitat for the Southern Mountain Woodland Caribou ecotype of the subspecies. Data are collected by aerial surveys to determine...

Birds adapted to alpine ecosystems are often sensitive to habitat and climate changes because of their niche specialization. For example, birds that are specialized to breeding in colder alpine conditions may be outcompeted by more generalist species if warmer conditions arise. Yearly data are...

The unimpeded movement of fish and other aquatic related organisms allows organisms to respond to changing habitat conditions, facilitates genetic dispersal, provides access to seasonal or reproductive habitats, and allows for the maintenance of populations over the long term. Jasper National...

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) is a threatened species protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). Jasper National Park provides important habitat for the Southern Mountain Woodland Caribou ecotype of the subspecies. Data are collected by aerial surveys to determine...

Invasive plants can reduce biodiversity and compromise ecosystem function by out-competing native species, altering nutrient cycling, destabilizing soils and causing erosion, among other impacts. Prevention of colonization by weedy invaders is achieved through rapid restoration and reduced...

Black swift (Cypseloides niger) have been listed as an Endangered Species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). In Jasper National Park, black swifts nest in canyon waterfalls and may be affected by decreases in water flow on account of decreased snow pack and...

Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) inventory supports Jasper National Park’s Multi-species Action Plan. Common nighthawks are a Threatened Species protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). Common nighthawks migrate north between early May to mid-June to breed in or near open or...

Forest fires can provide positive effects on forest ecosystems, such as controlling the spread of detrimental insects, maintaining diverse habitats, and the recycling of nutrients across landscapes. Fire management in Jasper National Park aims to maintain these natural processes, and includes...

Birds are the most diverse of land vertebrates and are an important indicator of ecosystem health. Large protected areas, such as Jasper National Park, provide important habitat for a wide range of bird species. Data collected can provide a number of ecological indices; for example, used to...