National Parks

What does it mean to "take the pulse" of a national park?

• Count the number of visitors

• Measure the park’s temperature

• Monitor the health of its ecosystems

• Check animal population sizes only

What are "vital signs" in national parks?

• Signs warning about dangerous animals

• Indicators of ecosystem health

• National park entrance signs

• Emergency park procedures

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Why do scientists monitor parks over long periods of time?

• To make maps

• To track changes and identify trends

• To entertain tourists

• To advertise the parks

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How many Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) networks exist?

• 10

• 18

• 25

• 50

What is one example of a "vital sign"?

• Number of campers

• Food available at the visitor center

• Air quality

• Number of park rangers

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What is an indicator species?

• An endangered species

• A species that shows how healthy an ecosystem is

• A species with bright colors

• A species found only in zoos

Why are frogs good indicator species?

• They are noisy

• They eat harmful insects

• They are sensitive to environmental changes

• They live in caves

What does it mean if frogs are disappearing in a park?

• They are migrating to other parks

• The park ecosystem might be in trouble

• The frogs are hibernating

• They are being hunted

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What do scientists compare to measure water availability?

• Rain and snow to sunshine

• Water in rivers to ocean tides

• Water input (rain/snow) to water output (runoff/evaporation)

• Lake size to mountain height

Why is water important to national park ecosystems?

• It helps build roads

• It supports all plant and animal life

• It’s used to fill swimming pools

• It makes parks look pretty

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