Great Plains                                    
    Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave National Park was established in 1903 to protect Wind Cave.  In 1912 Wind Cave National Game Preserve was established on the land included within the boundaries of Wind Cave National Park.  In 1935, the Preserve was to be abolished and all property was made part of Wind Cave National Park .

Research needs have been identified by subject area and projects indicated with an asterisk (*) are high priority.

Biological Resources

Diseases

Diseases such as Brucellosis, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), West Nile Virus and others create difficulties with wildlife and may have serious effects on health and safety of human and wildlife ecosystems. 

• Develop live CWD test for elk*

• Methods of CWD transmission and lifespan of prions in environment

• Maintain current research and resource database for known and potential diseases (i.e., CWD, Hanta virus, West Nile , Plague, etc)

• Human risk from wildlife disease

• Disease surveillance needs and protocols

• Develop surveillance program for cervids demonstrating clinical signs of CWD at WICA

Exotic species

The spread of exotic and noxious weeds continues to be a major natural resource issue.  On-going control efforts include mechanical and biological treatments.  The use of herbicides is an option, although has not been utilized recently within the park due to consideration of potential environmental impacts.

• Assess the Impact of Invasive Yellow Sweetclover on Native Prairie Succession Develop methods for brome eradication in native prairie ecosystems (i.e., fire, competition, herbivory, etc.) 

• Effective control measures for Canada thistle

• Effective eradication methods of leafy spurge populations

• Effects of smooth brome invasions on native plant diversity

•  Effects of fire on Kentucky bluegrass distribution and control

• Effectiveness of herbicide treatment on smooth brome 

• Effects of exotic plant impacts on park resources

• Effects of wildlife concentration on disease prevalence and spread

•  Impact of prescribed fire on yellow sweetclover, knapweeds, and other exotic species

• Monitor buckthorn management control efforts

• Restoration of areas with smooth brome infestations

• Integrated pest management of non-native plants at WICA

• Research control methods to reduce prevalence of Kentucky bluegrass

• Research methods to reduce exotic plant seed bank through composting

• Compare manual, mechanical, and chemical control on Canada Thistle

Fire

Fire is a natural component of the Black Hills environment.  Variable precipitation, warm summer temperatures, occasional strong winds, and summer lightning storms create conditions conducive to wildfires.  Research has indicated that natural fires burned grasslands in the Black Hills on an average of every 6 to 7 years and forested areas every 15 to 25 years, prior to 1900.

• Effects of prescribed fire on early spring flowering forbs

• Effects of prescribed fire on grassland and prairie obligates

• Effects of prescribed fire on bird and small mammal communities

•  Effects of prescribed fire on cottonwood, juniper, and other hardwood species  

• Vegetative trends in the absence of fire

Vegetation

Wind Cave National Park contains 11,450.6 ha of mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine, and riparian ecosystems, and is in a transition zone between eastern and western biomes.  Historically, this area was dominated by mixed-grass prairie and subjected to periodic wildfire.  Natural fires were excluded in the 1880s in conjunction with settlement.  Prescribed burning was reintroduced in the early 1970’s.  Ten areas at Wind Cave are “exemplary” examples of Black Hills vegetation communities. 

• Cultural Landscape Report of the Norbeck Dam and “Apple Orchard” areas.

• Hazard tree inventory and management

• Methods of weed seed disposal 

• Native seed collection, cleaning and storage

• Non-vascular plant inventories

• Range evaluation enabling management to establish and manage optimal wildlife carrying capacities (this would include evaluation of condition, production, and calibration of monitoring techniques) *

•  Restoration of prairie/forest edge 

• Shrub and hardwood inventory, health evaluation, and restoration plan

• Effects of wildlife on hardwoods

• Vegetation trend studies (i.e., prairie grassland, forest closure, hardwood distribution, etc.)

• Vegetation monitoring (including species of special concern)

• Conduct a disturbed land survey

•  Investigate the wood/biota relationship in Wind Cave prior to restoration efforts

• Restore disturbed lands at WICA

• Prairie restoration through Ponderosa Pine mitigation

• Inventory forest stand condition at WICA

Wildlife

In 1912, Wind Cave National Game Preserve was superimposed on the surface over Wind Cave National Park .  Since that time, bison, elk, and pronghorn have been reintroduced into the area and along with deer, constitute the bulk of large mammals within the park.  The park also supports black-tailed prairie dogs, which appear to be stable.  There is little information on the status of rare species such as mountain lion or swift fox.  The black-footed ferret was once found in the park, but was likely extirpated from the area when the land was homesteaded and large scale prairie dog removal programs were started.

• Bat inventory and monitoring 

• Bat habitat use and habitat evaluation

• Bison Management Plan*

• Bison population, sex and age relationships

• Bison genetics

• Small mammal populations, distribution/status

• Avian monitoring

• Develop Prairie Dog Management Plan

• Breeding and migratory bird study

• Elk Management Plan*

•  Elk movements and distribution:  Implications for population control and CWD management

• Adjacent landowner tolerance of elk

•  Fisheries Management Plan 

• Effects of brook trout on native fish populations

• Inventory of cave biota 

• Inventory/monitoring of amphibians and reptiles

•  Inventory/monitoring of forest insect pests

• Inventory/monitoring of invertebrates (i.e., insects, mollusks, snails, etc)

• Predator relationships, competition and coyote dominance

• Effects of native predator extirpation on ecology

• Prairie dog dispersal patterns and potential barriers

• Effects of prairie dog utilization on vegetative structure, soil structure, and soil microfauna

• Effects of large mammal grazing on breeding grassland birds 

•  Ungulate species forage consumption modeling

• Ungulate forage patterns and preferences

•  Wildlife population levels

• Reintroduction of black-footed ferrets to WICA

• Monitor coyote population (part of black-footed ferret re-introduction at WICA

• Research metapopulation ecology of the black-tailed Prairie Dog at Badlands and Wind Cave NP

• Fisheries management needs at WICA

• Inventory biota in Coyote Cave

• Conduct an invertebrate survey (aquatic, butterfly, land snails, etc)

• Conduct baseline land snail inventory for WICA

• Develop a conservation plan to assist with the reintroduction of the endangered black-footed ferret

• Develop forage production and allocation model for WICA

Geographic Information Systems

• Construct GIS layers for infrastructure and utilities 

• Detailed viewshed analysis*

• GIS modeling for location of various natural resources of concern (i.e., species, caves, hydrology, etc.)

•  Map vegetation at WICA

Physical Resources

Air Quality

Under the Clean Air Act of 1977, Wind Cave National Park was designated a Class I area.  Under this and the NPS Organic Act, the Park is mandated to protect its air resources.  A Class I designation allows only small increments of pollution above already existing levels within the area.  Historically, visibility has been considered excellent with certain topographical features visible 40 to 60 miles to the east.  There is concern that increased energy exploration and production in coal fired plants west of the park could impact the park* air quality.  Ground disturbing activities and urbanization in the vicinity of the park could also degrade park air quality, visibility, and the quality of night sky resources.

• Noise impacts to the park and ambient sound studies

• Use of plant species (i.e. lichens, milkweeds, ponderosa, aspen, etc) as ecological indicators of air quality

• Visibility studies and viewshed analysis, including evaluation of night sky impacts*

• Determine the effects of air quality on Native vegetation

Geology

All of the major geomorphic subdivisions within the Black Hills are found within the park.  From an aerial view, the Black Hills are comprised of concentric rings of progressively younger rocks moving out from central high elevations.  From the northwest to the southeast, the park geology transitions through igneous crystalline outcroppings, the Limestone Plateau, Minnelusa Foothills, the Red Valley , and the Cretaceous or "Dakota" Hogback, with alluvial deposits found throughout these formations.  Continued use of Wind Cave by both park staff for research and science and by visitors may have adverse impacts to the cave ecosystems and geology found therein.  Wind Cave has also been damaged by ill-conceived construction activity and improperly sited surface structures.  Visitation to caves can have an effect on cave environment through breathing, body heat, lint from clothing, shedding of hair and skin cells, and walking on cave floor surfaces, which disturbs dust. 

• Inventory and map surface and structural geology

• Inventory and map geologic hazards

• Order 3 soil surveys with the creation of digital soils maps

• Cave and Karst Inventory  

• Cave carrying capacity studies, including recreation, research, and exploration, with methods to monitor and mitigate impacts*

• Develop and implement an erosion control and monitoring program (i.e., slope slump, roads, etc.) 

• Effects of cave lights on algae production within the cave*

•  Inventory of cave biota

•  Air movement studies to determine natural airflow patterns within Wind Cave and the effects of alteration of cave entrances and passages to the natural system*

• Impacts of visitation*

• Complete the Wind Cave and Pringle geologic quadrangle maps

Hydrology

Park terrain is generally broken by many ridges, gulches and canyons.  The principal streams within the park are Beaver Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Highland Creek. 

• Inventory and assess physical and biological condition of water resources

• Develop Water Resource Management Plan (surface and subsurface, to include water quality monitoring)

• Inventory cave lake biota

• Ground water survey and condition assessment of ground-water levels and stream discharges 

• Ground water flow studies within the park

• Determination of park water budget

• Evaluation of hydrocarbon loads in parking lot runoff and cave drip water  

• Determine potential water contaminants and sources  

• Document historic water resources 

• Detailed wetlands/riparian map

• Conduct dye trace study of sinking streams

• Conduct assessment of freshwater streams (developed and undeveloped)

• Study effects of contamination from Pringle Post & Pole site on water quality in Beaver Creek, WICA

Paleontology

• Intensive paleontological survey  of entire park with the development of a monitoring and protection plan*

• Museum preparation and catalogue of specimens located in offsite collections

• Document fossil localities within the Brule formation

• Prepare and preserve Centennial Site fossil

• Prepare and curate Beaver Creek Rock Shelter fossils

• Paleontologic resource protection preservation of artifacts

Other

• Inventory and evaluate Historic Homestead and ranch resources

• Prepare Administrative history

• Prepare historic resources study

• Conduct Ethnographic overview and assessment

• Determine extent of lead migration from small arms firing range

• Preserve stories of park explorers