Final Report for Adaptation Strategies in the Face of Climate-Driven Ecological Transformation: Case Studies from Arctic Alaska and the U.S. Great Plains

Climate change is already affecting ecosystems, with the potential to trigger significant and permanent state changes in both natural and human systems. Ecological transformations may stem from gradual changes, or may occur rapidly; for an example, an extensive drought-related mortality event may be coupled with regeneration conditions that are no longer able to support the re-establishment of the historic ecosystem. In addition to climate change, patterns of land use and human water use, and site-scale management history may be important contributors to the degree or pace of change. This project focuses on climate-related risks in the Great Plains of the U.S., a grassland dominated region with a complex history...

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Final Report for Adaptation Strategies in the Face of Climate-Driven Ecological Transformation: Case Study from Arctic Alaska

As the globe continues to warm at increasingly dramatic rates, climate-sensitive ecosystems and the people that live in these environments are experiencing transformations in the conditions that support healthy species and human wellbeing. Nowhere is this more evident than in Alaska, which is warming at two to three times the global average rate, causing ecosystems to transition to new states. Arctic warming has already led to major consequences such as coastal erosion that has forced human communities to relocate, and summer sea ice loss that has pushed polar bears, walruses, and other species to adapt to a more terrestrial mode of living in closer proximity to human settlements and risking increased human-wildlife...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation