ROBERT A. GARROTT

Welcome to the Web Site of Dr. Robert Garrott!

Robert Garrott is a professor in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University--located in Bozeman, Montana and within the ecologically rich Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE).  Over the years Dr. Garrott's research projects have covered a wide range of topics from population dynamics of feral horses in the western United States, to the ecology of arctic foxes in northern Alaska, to mule deer spatial dynamics in Colorado.  His primary research focus is understanding abiotic and biotic ecological processes that influence mammalian populations and communities with most of his research projects centered within the GYE, and marine mammal studies in Antarctica.

Graduate Research and Education

Dr. Garrott has advised a number of successful and ecologically valuable graduate projects over the past decade, with the majority of his recent projects involving large mammals and ecological processes in the GYE.  Within Yellowstone National Park, the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon drainages are the locations of long-term winter studies on the resident elk herd, the migratory bison herd that winters there, and the wolves that now play a key role as a top predator within this system.  

Integrated Ecological Science in Central Yellowstone

Dr. Garrott's Central Yellowstone research venture involves multiple ecological aspects, inviting a multidisciplinary and collaborative research approach in the process.  Over the past 13 years this group of scientists has been developing an alternative paradigm for Park science, focusing on the central Yellowstone region with data collection thus far concentrated on the suite of large mammals--elk, bison, and wolves--that are often at the heart of wildlife management controversies.  The focus of this integrated and multidisciplinary research program is dedicated to producing objective science with the goals of advancing our knowledge of the Yellowstone ecosystem, supporting sound natural resource management, and communicating our knowledge and discoveries to the visiting public to enhance their experience and enjoyment of the Park.

Wolf-Ungulate Dynamics

The reintroduction of wolves into the GYE in the mid-1990s is providing the opportunity to investigate the impact of these top predators on ungulate populations with several intensive, ongoing studies on Wolf-Ungulate Dynamics.  The potential impact of wolf predation on ungulate populations is a highly controversial issue, both within the scientific community and for the general public. As wolf numbers increase and the affected states of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho move towards state management of recovered wolf populations, the status and trends of important ungulate populations will be a critical component in future decision making processes. 

Montana-Based Studies

Research projects in the GYE and Montana are considering the implications of management policies on wildlife as well as evaluating the habitat requirements of key species.  These studies are important, in part, because animals know of no boundaries around Yellowstone.  Grizzly bears require large home ranges that may be far from Yellowstone; pronghorn find the best winter habitat along the Northern Range--in and out of the Park; bison may leave the Park in winter in search of food at lower elevations; and wolf packs, dispersing from Yellowstone, establish territories in nearby valleys.

Dynamics of Weddell Seals in Antarctica

The Erebus Bay Weddell seal population study in eastern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica was initiated in 1968 by Dr. Donald Siniff and represents one of the longest intensive field investigations of a long-lived mammal in existence.  This study is an extremely valuable resource for understanding population dynamics of not only Weddell seals, but also other species of both terrestrial and marine mammals with similar life-history characteristics.  A recently awarded grant has provided Dr. Garrott and his colleague, Dr. Rotella, the chance to continue this long-term study.

Office Phone:  (406) 994-2270            FAX:  (406) 994-3190            e-mail:  rgarrott@montana.edu

Web site developed and maintained by Jason Bruggeman

All photographs on this site are copyrighted and property of the respective photographer. 

Contributing photographers include:  Robert Garrott, Jason Bruggeman, Justin Gude, Claire Gower, Adam Messer, 

Eric Bergman, John Winnie, Jr., Kelvin Johnson, Sylvanna Boccadori, Steven Hess, Darren Ireland, Kelly Proffitt, Gillian Hadley,

Doug Ouren, Rosemary Jaffe, Amanda Hardy, Daniel Bjornlie, Matthew Ferrari, and Andrew Pils.

Photographs may not be reproduced or used without permission.