Resources

A project overview report, which describes the project’s rationale, partnerships, approach, and key findings.

We have completed an array of high-resolution simulations of present and future climate over Western North America (WNA) and Eastern North America (ENA) by dynamically downscaling global climate simulations using a regional climate model, RegCM3. The simulations are intended to provide long time series of internally consistent surface and atmospheric variables for use in climate-related research.

We have completed an array of high-resolution simulations of present and future climate over Western North America (WNA) and Eastern North America (ENA) by dynamically downscaling global climate simulations using a regional climate model, RegCM3. The simulations are intended to provide long time series of internally consistent surface and atmospheric variables for use in climate-related research.

Fragmentation is a growing threat to wildlife worldwide and managers need solutions to reverse

its impacts on species’ populations. Populations of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), often considered an umbrella

and focal species for largemammal conservation, are fragmented by human settlement and major highways in

the trans-border region of southern British Columbia, northern Montana, Idaho, and northeastern

Washington. To improve prospects for bear movement among 5 small fragmented grizzly bear

Presentations

This file represents the linear riverine features that were selected as priority places for conservation based upon an analysis.  This analysis is detailed at https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/58e1cc2ee4b09da67996a610

The central objective of this project was to answer two questions: 1) how downscaled climate datasets, modeled vegetation changes, and information on estimated species sensitivities can be used to develop climate change adaptation strategies, and 2) how model results and datasets can be made more useful for informing the management of species and landscapes.

We have completed an array of high-resolution simulations of present and future climate over Western North America (WNA) and Eastern North America (ENA) by dynamically downscaling global climate simulations using a regional climate model, RegCM3. The simulations are intended to provide long time series of internally consistent surface and atmospheric variables for use in climate-related research.

2015 CMP Forum Report - People, Climate and Terrestrial Invasive Species: Taking Collective Action in the Crown of the Continent

This report summarizes the results from a climate change adaptation workshop focused on the Columbia Plateau landscape in eastern Washington and parts of Idaho and Oregon. The objective of the workshop was to collaborate with landscape managers to apply results from the Pacific Northwest climate change vulnerability assessment (PNWCCVA) to on-the-ground ecological management objectives. Specifically, we sought to address the following questions:

We have completed an array of high-resolution simulations of present and future climate over Western North America (WNA) and Eastern North America (ENA) by dynamically downscaling global climate simulations using a regional climate model, RegCM3. The simulations are intended to provide long time series of internally consistent surface and atmospheric variables for use in climate-related research.

This document details a fire management strategy for facilitating the restoration of whitebark pine on subalpine landscapes of the Crown of the Continent (COTC).  The heart of the management strategy is Table 1 that specifies the most appropriate fire management action, including prescribed fires, before, during and after a wildfire.  This report first justifies the need for special attention in fire management practices when in the upper subalpine landscapes of the COTC.  Next, we detail a set of management actions that will enhance whitebark pine restoration before and during a wildfire. 

This website provides visualization and access to global and regional (downscaled) climate data.  We also provide access to data, figures and other information associated with our climate change research publications.  We currently are serving fine scale present and future climate data obtained from dynamical and statistical downscaling efforts.  In the near future we will be adding global and regional scale paleoclimate data sets.  Data related to publications will be added and updated as available.

Abstract: Environmental DNA (eDNA) is DNA that has been released by an organism into its environment, such that the DNA can be found in air, water, or soil. In aquatic systems, eDNA has been shown to provide a sampling approach that is more sensitive for detecting target organisms faster, and less expensively than previous approaches. However, eDNA needs to be sampled in a manner that has been tested and found effective and, because single copies of target DNA are detected reliably, rigorous procedures must be designed to avoid sample contamination.

Maintaining and restoring ecological connectivity is a primary conservation need and the most

frequently recommended climate adaptation strategy for biodiversity conservation. The Okanagan-Kettle

subregion includes the northern-most extent of the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion and poses a potential

bottleneck to climate-driven range shifts of shrubsteppe species, and is also a central region between

coastal and rocky mountain ranges that support large predators and their prey populations. Maintaining

The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of findings and products from our FY2014 research project on fire refugia. We summarize the products and findings of our work, including: development of regional datasets; use of a climate space framework to select sample fires; development of fire refugia models across the climate space; development of fire refugia models within case study fires; and a development of a conceptual model that outlines our current endeavor to understand the formation of fire refugia under different fire environments.

Roads present a growing threat to the wildlife of the U.S. Northern Rocky Mountains, a region spanning the Greater Yellowstone, Salmon-Selway, and Crown of the Continent Ecosystems that is unique in continuing to support a full suite of native ungulates and carnivores.  The continued viability of wildlife populations are dependent on their continued ability to move, including daily movements among local resources, migrations between seasonal ranges, long-range dispersal supporting gene flow, and species range shifts over time in response to changing conditions. 

We have applied a monthly water balance model to the NASA NEX-DCP30 dataset, which provides high resolution (30-arcsecond, ~800 m) gridded projections of temperature and precipitation from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). Our water balance model simulates hydroclimate variables such as surface runoff, snow, soil moisture and evapotranspiration. The projections span the Contiguous United States (CONUS) from 1950-2099 using the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios.

We have completed an array of high-resolution simulations of present and future climate over Western North America (WNA) and Eastern North America (ENA) by dynamically downscaling global climate simulations using a regional climate model, RegCM3. The simulations are intended to provide long time series of internally consistent surface and atmospheric variables for use in climate-related research.