Eds: APNewsNow.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) Yellowstone National Park is receiving $1 million to study various life forms that live in Yellowstone Lake and its hydrothermal vents.

The National Park Service is providing $500,000 for the project, and the Yellowstone Park Foundation is using a donation from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to provide a matching $500,000.

Scientists will study water samples from the lake and from the hydrothermal vents on the lake's bottom and shoreline.

The park says the project is expected to reveal unknown species and new information on the biological diversity of the park.

Public and private partners will do the research. They include the park, the U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Oceanics LLC, Montana State University's Thermal Biology and Big Sky Institutes, and the J. Craig Venter Institute.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 01-13-09 1941CST | save this article / add to your favorites list