• 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

A Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Focal Resources of the Sierra Nevada

February 2014

In collaboration with the U. S. Forest Service and the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative (CA LCC), EcoAdapt brought together 30 experts to conduct climate change vulnerability assessments on 27 focal resources (including ecosystems, species populations, and ecosystem services) across the Sierra Nevada region of California and Nevada. The results from this assessment are intended to help resource managers and stakeholders develop and prioritize adaptation strategies to conserve these resources as climate change impacts the region.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Central Hardwoods Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: A Report from the Central Hardwoods Climate Change Response Framework Project

February 2014

This report was prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Central Hardwoods Climate Change Response Framework Project in conjunction with the Northern Research Station of the U. S. Forest Service (USFS). Assessing the ecosystem vulnerability to climate change of nine natural community types in the Central Hardwoods Region, the document uses forest model projections and projections for wildfires, invasive species, and diseases. This assessment evaluates the vulnerability of terrestrial ecosystems in the Central Hardwoods Region of Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri to a range of future climates.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Coastal Resilience - Coastal Defense App

2014

Coastal Defense is an application for examining how coastal habitats such as oyster reefs, coral reefs, tidal marshes, mangroves, beach dunes, and seagrass help protect coastal areas by reducing wave energy hitting the shore. The Coastal Defense “app” is a module of the Coastal Resilience network and tool platform, developed in part by The Nature Conservancy. The app identifies the coastal protection value of existing reef and wetland habitats and allows users to design restoration solutions.

Resource Category: Solutions

 

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Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change: Anticipating Surprises

December 3, 2013

From the National Academies’ Committee on Understanding and Monitoring Abrupt Climate Change and Its Impacts, Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change was published in paperback format, and is made available in PDF format on the Academies website. This publication summarizes the current state of knowledge on potential abrupt changes to the ocean, atmosphere, ecosystems, and high latitude areas; explores how to monitor climate change for warnings of abrupt changes and emerging impacts; and identifies key research and monitoring needs.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Study for the City of Los Angeles, California

December 2013

From the University of Southern California (USC) Sea Grant Program, this vulnerability assessment is a summary of initial research on the potential impacts of sea level rise on Los Angeles’s resources and population, coastal and shoreline assets. The report contains the findings of a coastal vulnerabilities study, as well as the results of physical, social and economic vulnerability assessment studies that were commissioned by the City and USC Sea Grant.   In the final section, a suite of adaptation measures for sea level rise is provided, along with several recommendations for moving forward.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Phyllis Grifman, Juliette Hart, Jill Ladwig, Alyssa Newton Mann, Marika Schulhof

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Washington State: Technical Summaries for Decision-Makers

December 2013

This report from the Climate Impacts Group (CIG) provides technical summaries detailing observed and projected changes for Washington’s climate, water resources, forests, species and ecosystems, coasts and ocean, infrastructure, agriculture, and human health. 

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Puerto Rico State of the Climate 2010-2013: Assessing Puerto Rico’s Social-Ecological Vulnerabilities in a Changing Climate

2013

Puerto Rico’s State of the Climate report is a comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessment for Puerto Rico as of 2013. It is comprised of three individual assessment reports focused on climate change impacts to Geophysical and Chemical Science, Ecology and Biodiversity, and the Economy and Society of the island territory. The overall assessment concludes that the coastal communities of Puerto Rico, critical infrastructure, economic development, tourism, natural resources and biodiversity, and cultural and historic resources are all vulnerable to climate change.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Critical Linkages: Bay Area and Beyond

2013

The Critical Linkages Project identifies landscape-level connections between wildlands that are crucial to maintaining habitat connectivity, ecological processes, and species’ population survival in three ecoregions surrounding California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Considered by some to be the most important climate change adaptation strategy for wildlife conservation, strategically conserving and restoring connectivity between natural landscapes is the ultimate goal of this project.  14 landscape-level linkages were developed based on priority fish and mammal species, while the linkage network serves each of 66 selected focal species - including mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, invertebrates, and plants - covering a broad range of habitat and movement requirements.

Authors or Affiliated Users: K. Penrod, P.E. Garding, C. Paulman, P. Beier, S. Weiss, N. Schaefer, R. Branciforte, K. Gaffney

Resource Category: Solutions

 

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Adapting to Climate Change in Minnesota - 2013 Report of the Interagency Climate Adaptation Team

November 2013

Minnesota’s Interagency Climate Adaptation Team (ICAT) 2013 report highlights how the state is working to reduce impacts, increase resiliency, and adapt to climate change. The report provides a comprehensive overview of climate impacts in Minnesota, followed by all of the state agencies climate adaptation progress.

Resource Category: Monitoring and Reporting

 

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Navajo Nation Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Priority Wildlife Species

October 30, 2013

Developed for the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife (NNDFW), this assessment explores potential climate change impacts in the southwest region of the United States, and the vulnerability of priority wildlife species that were identified by the Navajo for their cultural or ecological value. The NNDFW is the official wildlife management agency of the Navajo Nation, which covers roughly 27,000 square miles across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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