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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October 2013
In March of 2013, the Dane County Climate Change Action Council was created with the mission of ensuring that the Dane County government is better prepared for weather extremes brought on by global climate change. To support their mission and prepare this report, the Council facilitated an internal review of preparations and potential modifications to the county’s operations and capital investments. Based on the internal review, this report identifies potential vulnerabilities to climate change, and provides sector based adaptation strategies.
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October 2013
This climate impact assessment from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) identifies current and anticipated climate change impacts for Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's DEP is required to assess climate impacts every three years under the state's 2008 Climate Change Act. The first PA Climate Impact Assessment was released in 2009, and the next one was due in the spring of 2012 but was ultimately released in early October 2013. This report was prepared by the Pennsylvania State University’s Environment and Natural Resources Institute, using improved climate models, and includes updates on the state’s climate vulnerabilities.
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September 2013
This report synthesizes regional studies on the implications of climate change on Bureau of Reclamation operations and activities in 17 Western States. Specifically, the report addresses past and projected effects of climate change on hydrology and water resources. The report outlines implications for the key resource areas the Bureau considers in its planning processes for each of the Bureau's five regions: Pacific Northwest, Mid-Pacific, Lower Colorado, Upper Colorado, and Great Plains.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Mark Spears, Alan Harrison, Victoria Sankovich, Jade Soddell, Levi Brekke
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September 2013
This assessment outlines the climate concerns of the city of Marquette, Michigan - which is the largest city in the Upper Peninsula region. Marquette’s economy relies on tourism, timber, mining, health care, education, and high tech manufacturing. The city is already seeing climate impacts in Lake Superior’s warmer waters that has raised bacterial levels high enough to force Marquette to close a public beach. The plan drew on a series of public meetings and small group sessions where participants assessed strategies related to: Transportation, Tourism, Agriculture, Land Use, Forests, Natural Resources, and Public Health.
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August 2013
The purpose of this project and report is to help the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its partners to address climate change impacts in the Chesapeake Bay, focusing on how to integrate climate change into coastal restoration and conservation activities. To do this, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) worked with NOAA, a panel, and technical experts to identify climate change impacts for the Middle Patuxent sub-watershed and developed options for adapting restoration and conservation practices to address those impacts.
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July 2013
This study reviews the extent to which the private insurance industry may influence adaptation to climate change along Virginia’s tidal shoreline through homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance is becoming more costly along the Atlantic Coast and coverage is changing, especially for wind damage. This year-long study by Wetlands Watch explored the private sector perceptions on sea level rise and climate adaptation, examines the specific drivers behind increasing insurance rates, and provides plausible adaptive actions in response to these increasing rates.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Skip Stiles , Shannon Hulst
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June 26, 2013
Led by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the report was prepared by a panel of scientific experts in response to Governor Martin O’Malley’s Executive Order on Climate Change and “Coast Smart” Construction. The 21-member panel reviewed projections from Maryland’s 2008 Climate Action Plan and provided updated recommendations based on new scientific results that can better inform projections of sea level rise for the state.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Donald F. Boesch, Larry P. Atkinson, William C. Boicourt, John D. Boon, Donald R. Cahoon, Robert A. Dalrymple, Tal Ezer, Benjamin P. Horton, Zoe P. Johnson, Robert E. Kopp, Ming Li, Richard H. Moss, Adam Parris, Christopher K. Sommerfield
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June 18, 2013
Shifting Skies: Migratory Birds in a Warming World details how a warming climate could lead to a decline in some bird populations and even some extinction if action is not taken to curb GHG emissions and adopt “climate-smart” conservation strategies. Recommendations are provided on how to address climate impacts on wildlife by reducing carbon pollution, and for safeguarding species from the current and future impacts of climate change.
Author or Affiliated User: Doug Inkley
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June 2013
This study, conducted by the Washington Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Working Group, analyzed the usefulness of downscaled temperature and precipitation projections for informing habitat connectivity conservation planning. The goal of the study was to determine whether downscaled climate projections could help identify habitat corridors that are most resilient to climate change and should be prioritized for conservation investment decisions.
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June 2013
Subtitled 'A synopsis of lessons learned from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (COGs') climate adaptation planning initiatives from 2010 - 2012,' this report is intended to identify effects of climate change in the region, and encourage local resiliency planning. This is part of an ongoing project with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Sustainable Communities to create an EPA guidebook on smart growth and climate adaptation. The report summarizes key information that has been learned throughout the process of working with EPA, stakeholders and climate experts on the development of the guidebook.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Maia Davis , Amanda Campbell
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