Northern Rockies Domain

The NEON candidate core site in the Northern Rockies Domain is located at the Yellowstone Northern Range, which is home to some of the largest functioning wilderness systems in the lower 48 states. It is a true wildland site with a long history of research that offers a compelling opportunity for NEON to focus on land use, specifically on the impacts of exurban development close to a major intact ecosystem. In addition, the Yellowstone Northern Range site is especially sensitive to changes in climate that are expressed at regional and local scales. Collaborating institutions in the domain include Montana State University, the University of Montana, and the University of Idaho, as well as the Gallatin National Forest and Yellowstone National Park.

Domain: Northern Rockies (Domain #12)

Science Focus: Land use.

Candidate Core Site Name: Yellowstone Northern Range

Representativeness: The site is representative of the cold, dry, continental climate that covers most of the domain. It also reflects representative range and basin geology, as well as characteristic vegetation patterns of the region.

Location: Latitude: 44.954; Longitude: -110.540.

Unique Feature: The Yellowstone Northern Range and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem comprise the largest intact wildland ecosystem in the lower 48 states.