Document Type

Honors Thesis

Publication Date

Spring 5-8-2026

Abstract

Soil acts as the foundation for a productive and functioning environment, by supporting plant life. Abiotic factors drive soil health and consequently influence vegetation. Geothermal activity affects vegetation through strong environmental filters from harsh conditions. Hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park represent a variety of naturally occurring extreme environments, where each hot spring ranges in temperature, pH, and overall chemical composition. This study investigates how these environmental drivers dictate vegetation communities, by focusing on the transition zones between geothermal activity and distance from the feature that moves toward increasingly “favorable” environments. By observing a variety of features throughout Yellowstone, we explore the relationships between the detectable elemental constituents and the floral community dynamics. Using X-ray Fluorescence analysis and field observations, several trends were revealed in soil composition with plant community shifts along geothermal, chemical, and physical gradients. We identified strong spatially structured environmental gradients, where community shifts are driven by environmental variables, primarily pH. Elemental concentration trends may not act as dominant drivers but are still influential to community limitations.

Download

Included in

Life Sciences Commons

Share

COinS