The Mystery of the Disappearing Elk and the Purple Flowers
Description: You are the ecologist for the National Elk Refuge, you have multiple job responsibilities but, some of your top priorities are managing the elk herd with natural and supplemental feedings. One of the ways to do this is to ensure there is a balanced healthy ecosystem so the elk have plenty of forage to eat.
With this in mind, during the past couple of years you’ve noticed that the numbers of elk visiting the refuge have declined significantly. These elk also have needed their supplemental feedings earlier in the winter then normal. During that same period of time, there has been a noticeable increase in a purple flower and a decrease in the grasses. Being a sharp ecologist you think the increase of the purple flowers might be related to the decline in elk population. It’s now your job to figure out how.