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Kathryn A Spear

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In the face of sea level rise and as climate change conditions increase the frequency and intensity of tropical storms along the north-Atlantic Coast, coastal areas will become increasingly vulnerable to storm damage, and the decline of already-threatened species could be exacerbated. Predictions about response of coastal birds to effects of hurricanes will be essential for anticipating and countering environmental impacts. This project will assess coastal bird populations, behavior, and nesting in Hurricane Sandy-impacted North Carolina barrier islands. The project comprises three components: 1) ground-based and airborne lidar analyses to examine site specific selection criteria of coastal birds; 2) NWI classification...
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Situated in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain of the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC), the Chitimacha Tribe is one of four federally recognized tribes in Louisiana. The Tribal seat, trust lands/ reservation, and adjacent Tribal owned lands are located near Charenton, Louisiana, totaling nearly 1,000 acres. The Chitimacha, with a population of approximately 1,400 people, are currently impacted by storm surge, which is expected to increase with climate change. The additional stress from storms will likewise increase the vulnerability to catastrophic impact in the event of a breach in the Atchafalaya Basin Spillway levee. A collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and...
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In the face of sea level rise and as climate change conditions increase the frequency and intensity of tropical storms along the north-Atlantic Coast, coastal areas will become increasingly vulnerable to storm damage, and the decline of already-threatened species could be exacerbated. Predictions about response of coastal birds to effects of hurricanes will be essential for anticipating and countering environmental impacts. This project will assess coastal bird populations, behavior, and nesting in Hurricane Sandy-impacted North Carolina barrier islands. The project comprises three components: 1) ground-based and airborne lidar analyses to examine site specific selection criteria of coastal birds; 2) NWI classification...
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A Climate Change Adaptation Plan in response to sea-level rise for the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana
This project will use existing climate change scenarios and sea-level rise projections to create a Climate Change Adaptation Plan in collaboration with the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana. This Plan can be used as a model for climate adaptation in other small communities, in addition to engaging the Chitimacha through educational opportunities for children and adults, including an internship at the university- or professional-level; by providing data transfer of historic aerial photography, land loss maps, and other geospatial tools and assistance; and by facilitating Chitimacha attendance at Traditional Ecological Knowledge workshops at Oklahoma University and the South Central Climate Science Center.
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In the face of sea level rise and as climate change conditions increase the frequency and intensity of tropical storms along the north-Atlantic Coast, coastal areas will become increasingly vulnerable to storm damage, and the decline of already-threatened species could be exacerbated. Predictions about response of coastal birds to effects of hurricanes will be essential for anticipating and countering environmental impacts. This project will assess coastal bird populations, behavior, and nesting in Hurricane Sandy-impacted North Carolina barrier islands. The project comprises three components: 1) ground-based and airborne lidar analyses to examine site specific selection criteria of coastal birds; 2) NWI classification...
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