Climate Change Trends and Vulnerability to Biome Shifts in the Southern Sierra Nevada
Gonzalez P. 2012. Climate Change Trends and Vulnerability to Biome Shifts in the Southern Sierra Nevada. National Park Service Climate Change Response Program. Washington, DC
Recognizing the interconnections between climate change and wildfire, the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, and other agencies formed the Southern Sierra Conservation Cooperative in 2009 to collaboratively support research that would inform fire and other resource management under climate change. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks started an applied research project "Alternative Fire Management Futures" in 2010 to provide the scientific information needed for the adaptation of fire management to climate change. This report supports that effort by presenting results aimed at two objectives: (1) To spatially analyze historical and projected climate changes and (2) To spatially analyze historical vegetation shifts and future vulnerability of ecosystems to biome shifts. The report presents results for three analysis areas: the Southern Sierra Conservation Cooperative (a protected-area centered ecosystem), Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and Sequoia National Forest, all in California, USA. These results provide background information to supplement fire modeling conducted by colleagues on the southern Sierra Nevada project.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Gonzalez, Patrick
- Date of Issue
- 2012-08-29
- Publisher
- National Park Service Climate Change Response Program
- Units
- CCRP , FCAL , FDES , FGBA , NRSS , PWR , SEKI , SIEN
- Keywords
- CCPLAN, Climate, Climate Change, Ecology, FIRE, Graphs, Maps, Models, Planning, Precipitation, PWR-toolkit, PWR-toolkit-Natural-Resources, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tables, Temperature, Trends, vulnerability, Weather