Pacific Northwest Climate Change Science Digest
June, 2014 Issue
A monthly e-newsletter aimed at helping you stay connected to climate change science that is relevant and
integral to our conservation work. Do you have a new published article you would like to share? Please send it
our way. And many thanks to those who have provided material for this edition!
The Region One Climate Change Science Digest consists of two versions, targeting emails accordingly for the
Pacific Northwest and the Pacific Islands. FWS employees can find both Digests and past issues on the Climate
Change Sharepoint site, or can request copies via email. [Learning opportunities are also now provided
separately.] A national level FWS climate change e-newsletter is also available—you must register with Kate
Freund to be added to the mailing list.
David Patte
Climate Change Coordinator (Senior Advisor on Ecosystem Change)
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon
(503) 231-6210
Quick Links (Abstracts and Weblinks are Below)
Released May 8: Planning for Climate Change on the National Wildlife Refuge System - A Primer for Planners,
Managers, and Biologists
New Guide: Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice
USGS Climate Viewer Provides Easy-to-Access County/State/Watershed Projection Reports
Video: Understanding the Latest Northwest Climate Projections and Scenarios
Understanding Recent Weather and the Relationship to Global Warming
Biodiversity/Species and Ecosystem Response
Sagebrush Ecosystems in a Changing Climate
Assessing the Distribution and Protection Status of Two Types of Cool Environment to Facilitate Their
Conservation under Climate Change
Body size and activity times mediate mammalian responses to climate change
Widespread rapid reductions in body size of adult salamanders in response to climate change
The subtle role of climate change on population genetic structure in Canada lynx
Forests
Warmer Summers May Mean Slower Douglas-Fir Growth
Blue Mountains Adaptation Partnership
Northern Rockies Adaptation Partnership
Aquatic and Water Resources
Climate-Aquatics Blog #56: New studies provide additional evidence for climate-induced fish distribution
shifts & associated mechanisms
Evidence of Climate-Induced Range Contractions in Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus in a Rocky Mountain
Watershed
New Research Links Climate Change to Declines in Cutthroat Trout Populations
Linking climate change projections for an Alaskan watershed to future coho salmon production
Coastal/Marine Ecosystems/Ocean Acidification/Sea Level Rise
The rate of sea-level rise
Taking Action on Sea Level Rise
Wetland Accretion Rate Model of Ecosystem Resilience
'Sea Butterflies' Are a Canary for Ocean Acidification
Climate Change Journal Articles/Publications/News
Winds, Waves and Storms Are Growing Stronger
Atmospheric C02 Reaches the 400ppm Milestone
Question on C02 Doubling & Global Warming becomes imperative: How Soon Will Scientists Know More?
Sector of West Antarctic Ice Sheet in “Irreversible Retreat”
2012 Surface Melt of Greenland Ice Sheet Driven by Combined Effects of Rising Temperatures and Ash
from Forest Fires
Climate Change and Indigenous People
New Book on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in the United States
Webinar Series to Discuss Climate Change Impacts on Tribal Water Resources, and Traditional Foods, Role
of Traditional Knowledge, and Communication (June 5-23, 2014)
Taking Action
Environmental Protection Agency proposes first-ever limits of carbon emissions from power Plants
China's response to the air pollution shock
New Publication Outlines Steps for Drought Planning
Connect with the American Society of Adaptation Professionals
Directory of Regional Climate Change Adaptation Programs of Federal Natural Resource Agencies Posted
Online
Climate and Weather Reports and Services
Big El Niño Brewing?
The Blob: Warm Water off the Coast of the PNW and What it May Mean for Our Summer Weather
Links to online climate services and newsletters (multiple entries)
List Servers and FWS Tools (Multiple Entries)
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Released May 8: Planning for Climate Change on the National Wildlife Refuge
System - A Primer for Planners, Managers, and Biologists
In response to Conserving the Future Recommendation 2, authors from the Refuge System, other Service
programs, and numerous partners completed Planning for Climate Change on the National Wildlife Refuge
System, which evolved from the “Climate Change Primer” familiar to Refuge System planners. Planning for
Climate Change will be the go-to document for most planners, managers, and biologists tasked with
incorporating climate change considerations into Refuge System planning documents such as LCDs, CCPs, HMPs,
PPPs and LPPs. Following the background information in Part I, Parts II-V address climate change planning
concepts; ecological effects of climate change; social, economic, and cultural issues related to climate change,
and; incorporating climate change considerations into Refuge System plans. “Starter language” is included in
Part V to help CCP authors, especially. Appendices include a climate change checklist and links to climate change
planning resources. Designed especially for Refuge System personnel and issues, Planning for Climate Change
includes over 500 literature citations and underwent extensive review within FWS and among partners prior to
production. Hotlink to pdf: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/vision/pdfs/PlanningforClimateChangeontheNWRS.pdf
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New Guide: Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaptation Principles
into Practice
A new guidance document, Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice, discusses
the impacts of climate change on the nation's wildlife and habitats and provides guidance on climate change
adaptation and conservation practices that incorporate and respond to a changing future climate. The main
framework put forth in this guide, Climate-Smart Conservation, is defined in the document as "the intentional
and deliberate consideration of climate change in natural resource management, realized through adopting
forward-looking goals and explicitly linking strategies to key climate impacts and vulnerabilities." This guide was
produced by an expert workgroup convened by the National Wildlife Federation.
Webinar recording (May 14th): https://nccwsc.usgs.gov/webinars
Training: The North Pacific LCC is sponsoring NCTC Climate-Smart Conservation class in Olympia, WA, Oct 28-30,
which is based on the guide. The course is designed to demystify climate adaptation for application to on-theground conservation. It will provide guidance in how to carry out adaptation with intentionality, how to manage
for change and not just persistence, how to craft climate-informed conservation goals, and how to integrate
adaptation into on-going work. Conservation practitioners and natural resource managers will learn to become
savvy consumers of climate information, tools, and models. See the course description and logistics on the NCTC
webpage for this class.
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USGS Climate Viewer Provides Easy-to-Access County/State/Watershed
Projection Reports
The USGS National Climate Change Viewer allows users to visualize projected changes in climate (maximum and
minimum air temperature and precipitation) and the water balance (snow water equivalent, runoff, soil water
storage and evaporative deficit) for any state, county and USGS Hydrologic Units (HUC). The Viewer includes
the historical and future climate projections from 30 of the downscaled models for two of the RCP emission
scenarios, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. RCP4.5 is one of the possible emissions scenarios in which atmospheric GHG
concentrations are stabilized so as not to exceed a radiative equivalent of 4.5 Wm-2 after 2100, about 650 ppm
CO2 equivalent. RCP8.5 is the most aggressive emissions scenario in which GHGs continue to rise unchecked
through the end of the century leading to an equivalent radiative forcing of 8.5 Wm-2, about 1370 ppm CO2
equivalent. To create a manageable number of permutations for the viewer, the climate and water balance data
is averaged into four climatology periods: 1950-2005, 2025-2049, 2050-2074, and 2075-2099. See:
http://www.usgs.gov/climate_landuse/clu_rd/nccv.asp
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Video: Understanding the Latest Northwest Climate Projections and
Scenarios
The following recorded presentations from the April 17 workshop for the "Integrated Scenarios of the Future
Northwest Environment" project are available on the C3 YouTube site. The Integrated Scenarios project is an
effort to understand and predict the effects of climate change on the Northwest’s climate, hydrology, and
vegetation. The project was funded by the NW Climate Science Center and the Climate Impacts Research
Consortium.
Future climate, vegetation, and hydrology in the Northwest-- Overview Dr. Philip Mote, Director, Oregon
Climate Change Research Institute. YouTube link: http://youtu.be/3Nm17DjTdZ0
Climate Change Projections for the Northwest, Dr. David Rupp, Oregon Climate Change Research Institute.
YouTube link: http://youtu.be/KnG4_Cc_VL8
Climate Change Projections: Understanding, Using and Accessing the Data. Dr. John Abatzoglou, University
of Idaho. YouTube link: http://youtu.be/8v-W-Qgg6AU
Climate Change & Ecosystems: Simulating vegetation & fire response for the Western US. Dr. Dominique
Bachelet and Tim Sheehan, Conservation Biology Institute. YouTube link: http://youtu.be/SHcxLmFePLs
Climate Change & Water Resources/Hydrology in the Northwest, Dr. Dennis Lettenmaier, University of
Washington. YouTube link: http://youtu.be/S6ffOmyZ8bU
Climate Change & Hydrology in the Northwest: Understanding, Using and Accessing the Data, Dr. Bart
Nijssen, University of Washington. YouTube link: http://youtu.be/Q91yx_o8CvI
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Understanding Recent Weather and the Relationship to Global Warming
Record-breaking winters and global climate change: Just when it looked like spring was arriving this year, the
U.S. Midwest slipped back into winter, and Detroit recorded its snowiest season ever. Has global warming gone
into reverse, or could human emissions of greenhouse gases actually be responsible for this particular record
being broken? Although the chances of cold winters can in general be expected to decrease with global
warming, climate change linked to the particular circulation patterns that have prevailed in the past decade or
so could have played an important role in this record-breaking winter.…. [Tim Palmer, Science 23 May 2014: Vol.
344 no. 6186 pp. 803-804, DOI: 10.1126/science.1255147]
Also, see this new National Research Council workshop summary: Linkages Between Arctic Warming and MidLatitude Weather Patterns: Summary of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2014.
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Biodiversity/Species and Ecosystem Response-- Journal Articles & Other
Publications
Sagebrush Ecosystems in a Changing Climate: A new study finds that increased winter precipitation due to
climate change could lead to a variation of increases and decreases in desert shrub (A. tridentata) across
landscapes with variable soil depth. Sagebrush was more responsive to the seasonal timing of precipitation
than to total annual precipitation. Factors that enhanced deep-water storage (deeper soils plus more winter
precipitation) led to increases in Artemisia tridentata that were consistent with the two-layer hypothesis,
and the contribution of shallow water to growth on these plots was consistent with the resource-pool
hypothesis. However, shallow-soil water also had negative effects on sagebrush, suggesting an
ecohydrological trade-off not considered in these or related theories. The interaction between precipitation
timing and soil depth indicates that increased winter precipitation could lead to a mosaic of increases and
decreases in A. tridentata across landscapes having variable soil depth. [Germino, M. J., Reinhardt, K. (2014),
Desert shrub responses to experimental modification of precipitation seasonality and soil depth: relationship
to the two-layer hypothesis and ecohydrological niche. Journal of Ecology. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12266]
Assessing the Distribution and Protection Status of Two Types of Cool Environments to Facilitate Their
Conservation under Climate Change: Conserving ephemeral refuges, the coldest locations in the landscape,
and stable refugia (cold, stable, and isolated locations) can be a key priority for mobile species in a changing
climate. (Gollan et al., Conservation Biology, Volume 28, No. 2, 456–466, DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12212)
Body size and activity times mediate mammalian responses to climate change: Model predictions of
extinction risks from anthropogenic climate change are dire, but still overly simplistic. To reliably predict atrisk species we need to know which species are currently responding, which are not, and what traits are
mediating the responses. For mammals, we have yet to identify overarching physiological, behavioral, or
biogeographic traits determining species' responses to climate change, but they must exist. To date, 73
mammal species in North America and eight additional species worldwide have been assessed for responses
to climate change, including local extirpations, range contractions and shifts, decreased abundance,
phenological shifts, morphological or genetic changes. Only 52% of those species have responded as
expected, 7% responded opposite to expectations, and the remaining 41% have not responded. Which
mammals are and are not responding to climate change is mediated predominantly by body size and activity
times (phylogenetic multivariate logistic regressions, P < 0.0001). Large mammals respond more, for
example, an elk is 27 times more likely to respond to climate change than a shrew. Obligate diurnal and
nocturnal mammals are more than twice as likely to respond as mammals with flexible activity times (P <
0.0001). Among the other traits examined, species with higher latitudinal and elevational ranges were more
likely to respond to climate change in some analyses, whereas hibernation, heterothermy, burrowing,
nesting, and study location did not influence responses. These results indicate that some mammal species
can behaviorally escape climate change whereas others cannot, analogous to paleontology's climate
sheltering hypothesis. Including body size and activity flexibility traits into future extinction risk forecasts
should substantially improve their predictive utility for conservation and management. [McCain, C. M. and
King, S. R. B. (2014), Global Change Biology, 20: 1760–1769. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12499]
Widespread rapid reductions in body size of adult salamanders in response to climate change: Researchers
compared historic and contemporary size measurements in 15 Plethodon species from 102 populations
(9450 individuals) and found that six species exhibited significant reductions in body size over 55 years.
Biophysical models, accounting for actual changes in moisture and air temperature over that period, showed
a 7.1–7.9% increase in metabolic expenditure at three latitudes but showed no change in annual duration of
activity. Reduced size was greatest at southern latitudes in regions experiencing the greatest drying and
warming. Our results are consistent with a plastic response of body size to climate change through
reductions in body size as mediated through increased metabolism. These rapid reductions in body size over
the past few decades have significance for the susceptibility of amphibians to environmental change, and
relevance for whether adaptation can keep pace with climate change in the future. [Caruso, N. M., Sears, M.
W., Adams, D. C. and Lips, K. R. (2014), Global Change Biology, 20: 1751–1759. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12550]
The subtle role of climate change on population genetic structure in Canada lynx: A new study shows that
current genetic variability of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is strongly correlated with a winter climate
gradient (i.e. increasing snow depth and winter precipitation from west-to-east) across the Pacific-North
American (PNO) to North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) climatic systems. This relationship was stronger than
isolation by distance and not explained by landscape variables or changes in abundance. Thus, these
patterns suggest that individuals restricted dispersal across the climate boundary, likely in the absence of
changes in habitat quality. The research team proposes habitat imprinting on snow conditions as one
possible explanation for this unusual phenomenon. Coupling historical climate data with future projections,
they also found increasingly diverging snow conditions between the two climate systems. Based on genetic
simulations using projected climate data (2041–2070), this divergence is projected to lead to a threefold
increase in genetic differentiation, potentially leading to isolated east–west populations of lynx in North
America. Our results imply that subtle genetic structure can be governed by current climate and that
substantive genetic differentiation and related ecological divergence may arise from changing climate
patterns [Row, J. R., Wilson, P. J., Gomez, C., Koen, E. L., Bowman, J., Thornton, D. and Murray, D. L. (2014),
Global Change Biology, 20: 2076–2086. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12526]
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Forests
Warmer Summers May Mean Slower Douglas-Fir Growth: Douglas Fir is a climatically versatile and
commercially valuable tree species. Although its response to climate variability and change is still uncertain,
a new study suggests that as Oregon's temperature continues to rise, summer heat may limit Douglas-fir
growth in the future. Read the Climate CIRCulator review of Beedlow, Peter A., et al. (2103). The Importance
of Seasonal Temperature and Moisture Patterns on Growth of Douglas-fir in Western Oregon, USA.
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 169, 174-185, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2012.10.010
Blue Mountains Adaptation Partnership is a new US Forest Service led science-management collaboration
with the goals of: Increasing climate change awareness; Assessing vulnerability of cultural and natural
resources; and Developing science-based adaptation strategies and incorporating them into management of
federal lands in the Blue Mountains. Learn more and join the list server: BMAP
Northern Rockies Adaptation Partnership is a new US Forest Service led science-management collaboration
with the goals of: 1)Assessing vulnerability of natural resources and ecosystem services to climate change;
and 2)Developing science-based adaptation strategies that can be used by national forests to understand
and mitigate the negative effects of climate change. Learn more and join the list server:
http://adaptationpartners.org/nrap/
Aquatic and Water Resources
Climate-Aquatics Blog #56: New studies provide additional evidence for climate-induced fish distribution
shifts & associated mechanisms. The blogpost features new research which found that site abandonment
probabilities (0.36) were significantly higher than colonization probabilities (0.13), which indicated a
reduction in the number of occupied sites. Site abandonment probabilities were greater at low elevations
with warm temperatures. Other covariates, such as the presence of wildfire, nonnative brook trout,
proximity to areas with many adults, and various stream habitat descriptors, were not associated with
changes in probability of occupancy. Higher abandonment probabilities at low elevation for bull trout
provide initial evidence validating the predictions made by bioclimatic models that bull trout populations
will retreat to higher, cooler thermal refuges as water temperatures increase. The geographic breadth of
these declines across the region is unknown but the approach of revisiting historical sites using an
occupancy framework provides a useful template for additional assessments. [Eby LA, Helmy O, Holsinger
LM, Young MK (2014) Evidence of Climate-Induced Range Contractions in Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus in
a Rocky Mountain Watershed, U.S.A.. PLoS ONE 9(6): e98812. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098812 ]
A Strategy for Saving Amphibians Squeezed by Trout and Climate Change: Wetlands in the remote
mountains of the western US have undergone two massive ecological “experiments” spanning the 20th
century. Beginning in the late 1800s and expanding after World War II, fish and wildlife managers
intentionally introduced millions of predatory trout (primarily Oncorhynchus spp) into fishless mountain
ponds and lakes across the western states. These new top predators, which now occupy 95% of large
mountain lakes, have limited the habitat distributions of native frogs, salamanders, and wetland
invertebrates to smaller, more ephemeral ponds where trout do not survive. Now a second “experiment” –
anthropogenic climate change – threatens to eliminate many of these ephemeral habitats and shorten
wetland hydroperiods. Caught between climate-induced habitat loss and predation from introduced fish,
native mountain lake fauna of the western US – especially amphibians – are at risk of extirpation. Targeted
fish removals, guided by models of how wetlands will change under future climate scenarios, provide
innovative strategies for restoring resilience of wetland ecosystems to climate change. [Abs] [FullText] (Ryan
et al., Front Ecol Environ 2014; 12(4): 232–240, doi:10.1890/130145) Or read a review of the research from
the University of Washington’s news page, UW Today
New Research Links Climate Change to Declines in Cutthroat Trout Populations: In a new study,
researchers have found evidence of a linkage between climate change and the genetic decline of the native
westslope cutthroat trout in the Flathead river basin. Read More
Linking climate change projections for an Alaskan watershed to future coho salmon production: Based on
future climate scenarios and projections from a three-dimensional hydrology model, researchers simulated
coho smolt production over a 20-year span at the end of the century (2080–2100). The direction (i.e.,
positive vs. negative) and magnitude of changes in smolt production varied substantially by climate scenario
and subwatershed. Projected smolt production decreased in all three subwatersheds under the minimum air
temperature and maximum precipitation scenario due to elevated peak flows and a resulting 98% reduction
in egg-to-fry survival. In contrast, the maximum air temperature and minimum precipitation scenario led to
an increase in smolt production in all three subwatersheds through an increase in fry survival. Other climate
change scenarios led to mixed responses, with projected smolt production increasing and decreasing in
different subwatersheds. Our analysis highlights the complexity inherent in predicting climate-changerelated impacts to salmon populations and demonstrates that population effects may depend on
interactions between the relative magnitude of hydrologic and thermal changes and their interactions with
features of the local habitat. [Leppi, J. C., Rinella, D. J., Wilson, R. R. and Loya, W. M. (2014), Global Change
Biology, 20: 1808–1820. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12492]
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Coastal/Marine Ecosystems/Ocean Acidification
The rate of sea-level rise: Present-day sea-level rise is a major indicator of climate change. Since the early
1990s, sea level rose at a mean rate of ~3.1 mm yr−1. However, over the last decade a slowdown of this rate,
of about 30%, has been recorded. It coincides with a plateau in Earth’s mean surface temperature evolution,
known as the recent pause in warming. Here researchers present an analysis based on sea-level data from
the altimetry record of the past ~20 years that separates interannual natural variability in sea level from the
longer-term change probably related to anthropogenic global warming. The most prominent signature in the
global mean sea level interannual variability is caused by El Niño–Southern Oscillation, through its impact on
the global water cycle. The study finds that when correcting for interannual variability, the past decade’s
slowdown of the global mean sea level disappears, leading to a similar rate of sea-level rise (of 3.3 ± 0.4 mm
yr−1) during the first and second decade of the altimetry era. These results confirm the need for quantifying
and further removing from the climate records the short-term natural climate variability if one wants to
extract the global warming signal. [Cazenaze et al., Nature Climate Change, 4, 358-361 (May, 21014),
doi:10.1038/nclimate2159]
Taking Action on Sea Level Rise – A short compilation of sea level rise response efforts
Wetland Accretion Rate Model of Ecosystem Resilience (WARMER) and Its Application to Habitat
Sustainability for Endangered Species in the San Francisco Estuary: Researchers found that as the rate of
sea-level rise accelerates and marsh elevation changes, degradation of habitat quality will also accelerate.
Find this Publication on the Project Page: https://nccwsc.usgs.gov/displayproject/5050cb0ee4b0be20bb30eac0/4f8339eee4b0e84f608680ad
'Sea Butterflies' Are a Canary for Ocean Acidification: Researchers aboard a 2011 cruise found severe
damage to shells of Limacina helicina, a sea snail that plays an important role in the ecosystem of the
California Current off the Pacific coast. Scientists estimate that one-fifth of the pteropods had damaged
shells in preindustrial times, owing to the natural acidity of the water, and anthropogenic emissions of CO2
made the water more acidic, more than doubling the number of individuals with damaged shells. [Eli
Kintisch, Science 9 May 2014, Vol. 344 no. 6184 p. 569, DOI: 10.1126/science.344.6184.569]
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Climate Change Journal Articles/Publications/News
Winds, Waves and Storms Are Growing Stronger: Certain storms are getting stronger and hitting more
often in the Northern Hemisphere. That is the conclusion, reported by Russell Vose and colleagues, of one
workshop in a series of National Climate Assessment workshops that examined changes in extreme weather
events. Read the Climate CIRCulator review of Vose, Russell S., and Coauthors, 2014: Monitoring and
Understanding Changes in Extremes: Extratropical Storms, Winds, and Waves. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 95,
377–386, http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00162.1
Atmospheric C02 Reaches the 400ppm Milestone: According to the World Meteorological Agency (WMO)
average carbon dioxide measurements at all monitoring stations in the northern hemisphere were above
400 parts per million for the month of April. Climate Central: "The last time there was this much CO2 in the
atmosphere was anywhere from 800,000 to 15 million years ago. One thing that is certain: humans have
never lived in a world where CO2 has been this high." See the WMO announcement:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_991_en.html
So, the question about C02 Doubling and Global Warming becomes imperative: How Soon Will Scientists
Know More? Read a Climate CIRCulator review on the amount of global warming that will happen when
atmospheric C02 doubles, relative to preindustrial levels (estimated at 278ppm). The article is based on
Urban, Nathan M. et al (2014). Historical and Future Learning about Climate Sensitivity. Geophysical
Research Letters, 14, 2543-2552, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014GL059484/full
Sector of West Antarctic Ice Sheet in “Irreversible Retreat” A large sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
“has gone into a state of irreversible retreat,” according to glaciologist Eric Rignot, lead author of the paper
“Widespread rapid grounding line retreat of Pine Island, Thwaites, Smith, and Kohler Glaciers in West
Antarctica from 1992 to 2011” The researchers conclude that this sector of West Antarctica is undergoing a
marine ice sheet instability that will significantly contribute to sea level rise in decades to centuries to come.
(Rignot, E., J. Mouginot, M. Morlighem, H. Seroussi, and B. Scheuchl (2014), Widespread, rapid grounding
line retreat of Pine Island, Thwaites, Smith, and Kohler glaciers, West Antarctica, from 1992 to 2011,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, doi:10.1002/2014GL060140.)
2012 Surface Melt of Greenland Ice Sheet Driven by Combined Effects of Rising Temperatures and Ash
from Forest Fires: Researchers have found that a combination of rising temperatures and ash from Northern
Hemisphere forest fires caused the large-scale surface melting of the Greenland ice sheet in 1889 and 2012.
The findings also suggest that continued climate warming will result in nearly annual melting of the ice
sheet's surface by the year 2100. [Keegan et al., 6/3/2014, PNAS, vol. 111 no. 22, 7964–7967, doi:
10.1073/pnas.1405397111]
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Climate Change and Indigenous People
New Book on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in the United States: Previously published in the
Journal "Climatic Change", (Volume 120, Issue 3, 2013), this book explores climate-related issues for
indigenous communities in the United States, including loss of traditional knowledge, forests and
ecosystems, food security and traditional foods, as well as water, Arctic sea ice loss, permafrost thaw, and
relocation. The book also highlights how tribal communities and programs are responding to the changing
environments. Fifty authors from tribal communities, academia, government agencies, and
nongovernmental organizations contributed to the book. For more information, visit:
http://www.springer.com/environment/global+change+-+climate+change/book/978-3-319-05265-6.
Webinar Series to Discuss Climate Change Impacts on Tribal Water Resources, and Traditional Foods, Role
of Traditional Knowledge, and Communication (June 5-23, 2014): Offered by the Institute for Tribal
Environmental Professionals at Northern Arizona University with support from the U.S. EPA, this webinar
series will discuss impacts of climate change on tribal water resources and traditional foods, the role of
traditional knowledge in climate change initiatives, and communicating about climate change. The webinars
are being held throughout the month of June. Note: webinars will be limited to 100 participants and require
registration. Webinars will be recorded and archived at
http://www4.nau.edu/itep/climatechange/tcc_webinars.asp.
Climate Change Impacts on Traditional Foods - June 5, 2014
Climate Change Impacts on Tribal Water Resources - June 9, 2014
The Role of Traditional Knowledges in Climate Change Initiatives - June 16, 2014
Communicating about Climate Change - From Impacts to Solutions - June 23, 2014
Taking Action
Environmental Protection Agency proposes first-ever limits of carbon emissions from power Plants: The
proposal Lowers the U.S. power sector’s carbon pollution by 30% Reduces U.S. smog and soot by25%
Results in health benefits such as an estimated 3,700 fewer cases of bronchitis in children, 150,000
fewer asthma attacks in children, 180,000 fewer missed school days for kids, 2,700 to 6,600 fewer
premature deaths, 3,300 fewer heart attacks, and 310,000 fewer lost work days, See:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/06/02/numbers-epas-proposed-new-carbon-pollution-standards
China's response to the air pollution shock: Faced with serious air pollution, China is aggressively reshaping
its energy system, building on recent progress with renewables and on available supplies of gas. This should
help contain global warming and provide new impetus to climate change negotiations. [Sheehan et al.,
Nature Climate Change, 4, 306-309, May 21014, doi:10.1038/nclimate2197]
New Publication Outlines Steps for Drought Planning: A new publication, "Planning and Drought", offers a
comprehensive guide for citizens, planners, and communities to explore what drought is, how to track it, its
impacts, and how planners and communities can prepare to mitigate its effects. The publication includes
eight case studies illustrating the range of drought's consequences and how different organizations have
prepared for and responded to them. This publication is the result of a partnership between the American
Planning Association, the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the
National Integrated Drought Information System. Funding was provided by the National Integrated Drought
Information System and NOAA. To learn more and access the publication, visit:
http://www.drought.gov/drought/content/resources/planning-home.
Connect with the American Society of Adaptation Professionals: The American Society of Adaptation
Professionals (ASAP) connects leading professionals from a variety of sectors working to increase climate
resilience across the United States. Initially created in 2011, and formally launched in 2013, ASAP provides a
platform and forum for climate adaptation leaders to interact, participate in cutting edge research, develop
guidance for adaptation, and collaborate with their colleagues across the country. The society builds off the
strengths of its members and focuses on connecting adaptation professionals across the United States.
Membership is free for 2014. To learn more, visit: http://adaptationprofessionals.org/
Directory of Regional Climate Change Adaptation Programs of Federal Natural Resource Agencies Posted
Online: Federal agencies are implementing diverse actions to help prepare for the impacts of climate change
including developing and implementing climate change adaptation plans. Several federal natural resources
agencies have also organized multi-state, regional programs or initiatives to deliver climate change
adaptation information and assistance at a regional level. The EPA National Water Program has created a
directory of regional climate change adaptation programs of federal natural resource agencies as a tool to
strengthen coordination to assist in preparing for a changing climate. The first section of this directory
provides a short summary of the various federal natural resource agency programs that are deployed on a
regional basis to support climate change adaptation, as well as a map of the region or area served by the
program. The second section of this directory is organized by the eight regions described in the Third
National Climate Assessment released May 6th by the U.S. Global Change Research Program. To view the
directory, visit: http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/Partners-and-Stakeholders.cfm.
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Climate and Weather Reports and Services
Big El Niño Brewing? Data from NASA’s ocean-observing satellites and other ocean sensors indicate that El
Niño conditions appear to be developing in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Conditions in May 2014 bear some
similarities to those of May 1997, a year that brought one of the most potent El Niño events of the 20th
century. Learn more: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=83653&eocn=home&eoci=iotd_image
The Blob: Warm Water off the Coast of the PNW and What it May Mean for Our Summer Weather. A
message from the State Climatologist, June Issue of the Washington State Climatologist newsletter:
http://www.climate.washington.edu/newsletter/2014Jun.pdf
The Office of the Washington State Climatologist issues a monthly newsletter that summarizes the WA
climate for the previous month, includes a precipitation and temperature outlook, and also includes a brief
summary of an interesting aspect of the weather or climate of WA, among a few other sections: See
www.climate.washington.edu/newsletter for copies and to join the listserv.
PNW Climate Outlook: This quarterly report from the Pacific Northwest Climate Impacts Research
Consortium (CIRC) provides a seasonal wrap up of relevant regional issues along with an outlook for the
coming season in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Western Montana. To subscribe send an email to John
Stevenson.
Great Basin Weather and Climate Dashboard: this website provides up to date climate and weather data
and forecasts/outlooks for the Great Basin including temperature, precipitation, drought, snowpack and
hydrologic information. (Some of the information includes the entire western U.S.) The Dashboard is a joint
effort amongst the Western Regional Climate Center, California and Nevada Applications Program, the USDA
Farm Service Agency and the Great Basin LCC.
NOAA Climate Connection E-Newsletter: Free monthly e-newsletter designed to increase climate literacy
and communication capacity for NOAA and its partners. Subscription requests can be sent to
NOAAClimateConnection@noaa.gov. Click here to view the June 2013 NOAA Climate Connection enewsletter.
NOAA’s State of the Climate Monthly Update
NOAA Monthly Drought Outlook: The monthly drought outlook complements the weekly drought condition
updates via the U.S. Drought Monitor. See this site.
NOAA Climate Portal: http://www.climate.gov/ National Snow and Ice Data Center: http://nsidc.org
NOAA 2013 Global Climate Report: The average global temperature for 2013 tied as the fourth warmest
year since record keeping began in 1880, according to NOAA scientists. It also marked the 37th consecutive
year with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last below-average annual temperature
was 1976. Including 2013, all 13 years of the 21st century (2001-2013) rank among the 15 warmest in the
134-year period of record. The three warmest years on record are 1998, 2005, and 2010. This analysis is
from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina. To access the summary and full
report, visit: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/ncdc-releases-2013-global-climate-report.
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List Servers
BioClimate] News & Events from NCCWSC & the CSCs: https://nccwsc.usgs.gov/bioclimate-newsletter
ClimateNews-- is a snapshot from British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource
Operations, provides new and emerging climate change adaptation and mitigation activities in the natural
resource sector. Contact: katharine.mccallion@gov.bc.ca
Climate CIRCulator (Oregon Climate Change Research Institute)
Climate Impacts Group (Univ. Washington)
EPA Climate Change and Water E-Newsletter
FRESC monthly e-newsletter-- Contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov to join
FWS CC Monthly E-Newsletter: send note to kate_freund@fws.gov
LCC list servers (see your LCC’s website) and the national LCC Network newsletter
Ocean Acidification Report
OneNOAA Science Webinars
NASA's Climate Change Newsletter climate-feedback@jpl.nasa.gov
North Pacific LCC Listserve – North Pacific Tidings - important news and announcements; and NPLCC Climate
Science Digest - new science/information affecting natural and cultural resources.
NCTC Climate Change List server (upcoming webinars and courses): send email danielle_larock@fws.gov
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) (British Columbia) Climate News Scan- a weekly summary of the
major climate-change related science, technology, and policy advances of direct relevance to the BC provincial
and the Canadian federal governments and more generally to businesses and civil society
PointBlue Weekly Ecology, Climate Change and Related e-Newsletter: Send request to ecohen@prbo.org
PNW Tribal Climate Change Network: Send request to kathy@uoregon.edu
US Forest Service Fish & Wildlife Research Updates
FWS Resources and Tools
FWS Pacific Region employees can access journal articles and publications archived at the Region’s Climate
Change Sharepoint site (links below). The Region's Climate Change Science Synthesis document uses these
new findings. (The blog is used to highlight changes made to the document.)
> Home Page
> Read this report in Word/Find previous reports
> Document library (journal articles, reports, etc., updated weekly)
> Best available climate change science-- R1 synthesis (updated weekly)
> Blog (provides updates on new journal articles, R1 examples on use of climate science in decision making,
etc.)
> Use of Climate science: Regional examples
FWS Climate Change Response: How do partnership efforts such as Landscape Conservation Cooperatives
and the National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy fit into the Service's overall response
to accelerating climate change? How is our agency reducing its carbon footprint? What is our agency doing
now to reduce the impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife and plants? Learn more
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: Natural systems and landscapes are impacted by increasing land use
pressures and widespread resource threats amplified by a rapidly changing climate. These changes are
occurring at an unprecedented pace and scale. By leveraging resources and strategically targeting science to
inform conservation decisions and actions, Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) are a network of
partnerships working in unison to ensure the sustainability of America’s land, water, wildlife, and cultural
resources. Learn more
National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy: The National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants
Climate Adaptation Strategy will provide a unified approach—reflecting shared principles and science-based
practices—for reducing the negative impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, plants, habitats and
associated ecological processes across geographic scales. Learn more
FWS Climate Change Information Toolkit: A key part of the Service's climate change strategy is to inform
FWS staff about the impacts of accelerating climate change and to engage partners and others in seeking
collaborative solutions. Through shared knowledge and communication, we can work together to reduce the
impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. Here are some resources that can
help.
Climate Change, Wildlife, and Wildlands Toolkit: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership
with the National Park Service and with input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, developed a kit for use
when talking with the public about how climate change is affecting our nation's wildlife and public lands.
Learn more .
Safeguarding Wildlife from Climate Change Web Conference Series: The FWS and National Wildlife
Federation have developed a series of web conferences to increase communication and transfer of technical
information between conservation professionals regarding the growing challenges of climate change. Learn
more
(FWS employees only)
NCTC Climate Change Resource Library: The NCTC Climate Change Resource Library provides selected
citations to peer-reviewed journal articles, documents, books, theses, presentations, and Websites on the
effect of climate change on North American fish, wildlife and habitats. FWS employees can access the library
here
For more information on how the Service is working with others to conserve the nature of America in a
changing climate, visit http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange/
If you have received this Digest from a colleague and want to be added to the mailing list, send an email to me
at: david_patte@fws.gov