Based on climate models, researchers have determined the impact that Rocky Mountains have on the world by eliminating them in simulation programs to see the effects. The Rocky Mountains force huge air masses from the west in a more southerly direction, where they absorb heat and moisture before continuing east. Although many visitors think the park is pristine, humans are having a marked impact on their environment. Airborne pollutants from vehicles, factories and agriculture are altering soil and water chemistry.
These changes in the physical environment are, in turn, altering biological communities. Premature melting of snow banks creates water supply difficulties for several species that inhabit the park. Animals depend on snow cover for survival and declining water supplies in the future could negatively affect them.
