• Ecosystems Resources

Biodiversity and Ecosystems Assessments and Tools

This tab presents federal, state, and local climate science, tools, and assessments examining the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems.  

Resources are automatically presented by rating, but can also be sorted by date and title. Apply additional filters to narrow the list by resource type, impact, region, state, or jurisdictional focus.

 

 

297 results are shown below.

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Resource

Ramifications of Climate Change for Chesapeake Bay Hypoxia

December 2007

This paper examines how both climate variability and potential climate change can affect hypoxia in the Chesapeake Bay and can present additional challenges to ongoing ecosystem restoration. It is one of four case studies in a report entitled, "Regional Impacts of Climate Change: Four Case Studies in the United States," that examines impacts of particular interest to different regions of the U. S. Past observations are used to elucidate the multiple influences of climate on hypoxia and its consequences to the Bay ecosystems.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Donald F. Boesch, Victoria J. Coles, David G. KimmelW. David Miller

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Florida and Climate Change: The Costs of Inaction

November 2007

This report was the first detailed analysis of the potential consequences of continued climate change for the state of Florida's economy. The report concludes that, if left unchecked, climate change will significantly harm Florida’s economy in the next several decades, and that impacts on just three sectors - tourism, electric utilities, and real estate - together with effects of hurricanes, would shrink Florida’s Gross State Product by 5% by the end of the century.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Elizabeth Stanton, Frank Ackerman

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Impacts of Global Warming on New Mexico's Water Resources - An Assessment of the Rio Grande Basin

October 2007

A scientific study was undertaken by researchers at two New Mexico universities to evaluate the potential impacts of future warming on water resources in the Rio Grande basin.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Brian H. Hurd, Julie Coonrod

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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The Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming: A Paradise Lost for Hunters, Anglers, and Outdoor Enthusiasts?

September 2007

The National Wildlife Federation maintains a Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming webpage on which this report and other resources are available (scroll down to find the heading and link). This report focuses on the threat that global warming poses for fish and wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Amanda Staudt, Douglass B. Inkley, Patty Glick

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Climate Change Impacts on Forestry

August 16, 2007

Changing temperature and precipitation patterns and increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 are likely to drive significant changes in natural and modified forests. This article provides a scientific assessment of the impacts of climate change on forests worldwide giving significant attention to forests in the U. S. This review is focused on publications that discuss the changes in commercial forestry, excluding the ecosystem functions of forests and non-timber forest products. The report concentrates on potential direct and indirect impacts of climate change on the forest industry, including economic impacts, the projections of future trends in commercial forestry, the possible role of biofuels, and changes in supply and demand.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Andrei P. Kirilenko, Roger A. Sedjo

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Climate and Land Use Change Effects on Ecological Resources in Three Watersheds: A Synthesis Report

August 2007

The effects of global change drivers differ by place and in scale, necessitating place-specific impacts information to enable stakeholders to respond appropriately. Place and scale also determine appropriate adaptation strategies and expected outcomes. Three watershed case study assessments were conducted to advance the capability of managers to consider climate and land use change in watershed management decisions. The case studies were of the San Pedro River Watershed, the Sacramento River Watershed, and several small watersheds in Maryland (see Related Links).

Authors or Affiliated Users: Susan H. Julius, Britta G. Bierwagen, Thomas E. Johnson, Randall Freed, Susan Asam, Sandra Shapiro

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Unnatural Disaster: Global Warming and Our National Parks

July 11, 2007

The National Parks Conservation Association, (NPCA) report, "Unnatural Disaster," demonstrates the impacts of climate change by highlighting anticipated effects U.S. national parks. It offers recommended actions for federal, state, and local governments, along with individuals, to slow or stop the damage from climate change on national parks.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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A Discussion of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Shorelines of the Northeastern USA

July 10, 2007

This report, prepared for the 2007 Northeast Climate Impact Assessment (see separate entry), provides a broad overview of how sea-level rise will impact the coast of the northeastern United States. Different possible rates of sea-level rise and the primary impact of shoreline retreat is discussed. The report explains how local features determine the extent of shoreline retreat in a given area and addresses how sea-level rise could affect different ecosystems, including estuaries, salt marshes, and barrier island systems.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Andrew D. Ashton, Jeffrey P. Donnelly, Rob L. Evans

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Habitats in the Pacific Northwest: An Analysis for Puget Sound, Southwestern Washington, and Northwestern Oregon

July 2007

This report, by the National Wildlife Federation, documents results from a study on the projected impacts of sea-level rise to key coastal habitats in the Pacific Northwest. The study modeled sea-level rise up to 2 meters, based on input from prior studies, and examined its effects including the inundation of estuarine beaches, loss of tidal flats and marshes, and the inundation of inland swamps. The report also provides a brief description of how these effects will impact wildlife. Finally, the report makes one broad recommendation for planners to account for sea-level rise in their habitat restoration projects.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Patty Glick, Jonathan Clough, Brad Nunley

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Climate Change and Land Use in Florida: Interdependencies and Opportunities

June 30, 2007

This report outlines the components of a sample state climate action plan as they relate to land use, including mitigation and adaptation options. The plan addresses enhanced resiliency to climate impacts related to land use in Florida, and the development of the capacity to participate in carbon markets and support economic development of the state. Climate projections for Florida are detailed, with specific attention to drought and the related impacts on agriculture, sea-level rise, and hurricanes.

Author or Affiliated User: Stephen Mulkey

Resource Category: Planning

 

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