Yellowstone Wolves

The ability of Yellowstone wolves to impact vegetation is a classic example of non-consumptive effects and trophic cascades. It’s been repeated in museums and documentaries, but it may not be true.  Watch the following video, and then read the New York Times Opinon piece for another perspective.  Be prepared to discuss. 

Review Assignment

Read and watch these pieces to consider two versions of the story.  Then use Google Scholar or another search engine to find a recent (after 2010) peer-reviewed journal article on Yellowstone wolves and their impact on local communities.  Using these resources, write a response (1-2 pages) that summarizes the two arguments, presents examples of why each may be true, and state what you think about the issue (are non-consumptive effects really driving the impacts in Yellowstone?  What would you do to find out)?