Download or read book Climate Change in Grasslands Shrublands and Deserts of the Interior American West written by U. S. Department U.S. Department of Agriculture and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-02-14 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent research and species distribution modeling predict large changes in the distributions of species and vegetation types in the western interior of the United States in response to climate change. This volume reviews existing climate models that predict species and vegetation changes in the western United States, and it synthesizes knowledge about climate change impacts on the native fauna and flora of grasslands, shrublands and deserts of the interior American West. Species' responses will depend not only on their physiological tolerances but also on their phenology, establishment properties, biotic interactions, and capacity to evolve and migrate. The volume is divided into eight chapters that cover the topics of carbon mitigation and adaptation. Current and likely responses of species and habitats to climate change are examined in relation to taxonomic group and ecoregion and with regard to other disturbances. The volume ends with a review of management decision support needs and tools for assessing vulnerability of natural resources and conserving and restoring ecosystems that are or may be impacted by climate change.
Download or read book Climate Change in Grasslands Shrublands and Deserts of the Interior American West written by and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Climate Change in Grasslands Shrublands and Deserts of the Interior American West written by U.s. Department of Agriculture and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2012-10-19 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experimental research and species distribution modeling predict that large changes in the distributions of species and vegetation types will occur due to climate change. Species responses will depend not only on their physiological tolerances but also on their phenology, establishment properties, biotic interactions (Brown and others 1997), and ability to evolve and migrate (Davis and Shaw 2001). The capacity of species and, thus, their distributions to respond to a warming environment also will be affected by changing disturbance regimes and other global change factors (Turner 2010). Because individual species respond to climate variation and change independently and differently, plant assemblages with no modern analogs can be expected (Williams and Jackson 2007). New plant assemblages might also arise in areas where novel climatic conditions develop (Williams and Jackson 2007). Support for predictions of novel climate regimes and corresponding plant assemblages is found in studies examining relationships among paleo-climate and plant community reconstructions. As Williams and Jackson (2007) pointed out: (1) many past ecological communities are compositionally unlike modern communities; (2) the formation and dissolution of past “no-analog” communities appear to be climatically driven and linked to climates without modern analogs; (3) many future climate regimes will probably lack modern analogs; and (4) novel communities and surprises should be expected in the future. Novel climate conditions coupled with vegetation communities that lack modern analogs pose significant challenges for resource managers. Accurate predictions of how species distributions will change under future warming are essential for developing effective strategies for maintaining and restoring sustainable ecosystems (Harris and others 2006). Several factors make predicting how species distributions and vegetation communities will change difficult. Global Circulation Models (GCMs) exhibit significant variation in forecasts of future temperature and especially precipitation (Christensen and others 2007). This variation is often amplified for topographically variable areas such as the Interior West (Rehfeldt 2006; Saenz-Romero and others 2010). In addition, information on species' relationships to climate variables is often lacking and must be inferred from data on current species distributions. And other factors such as competitive interactions with other species and disturbance regimes often obfuscate interpretation of species climate profiles in projected future climate space. In grassland, shrubland, and desert ecosystems, our understanding of likely changes in climate is limited. Also, we lack information on the climate profiles of the vast majority of species. Here, we provide (1) current forecasts for changes in climate over the remainder of the century and (2) available predictions for changes in regional vegetation types and individual species distributions. We then discuss the types of approaches that can be used to increase our predictive capacity and the research needs for these ecosystems.
Download or read book Climate Change in Grasslands Shrublands and Deserts of the Interior American West written by and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent research and species distribution modeling predict large changes in the distributions of species and vegetation types in the western interior of the United States in response to climate change. This volume reviews existing climate models that predict species and vegetation changes in the western United States, and it synthesizes knowledge about climate change impacts on the native fauna and flora of grasslands, shrublands and deserts of the interior American West. Species' responses will depend not only on their physiological tolerances but also on their phenology, establishment properties, biotic interactions, and capacity to evolve and migrate. The volume is divided into eight chapters that cover the topics of carbon mitigation and adaptation. Current and likely responses of species and habitats to climate change are examined in relation to taxonomic group and ecoregion and with regard to other disturbances. The volume ends with a review of management decision support needs and tools for assessing vulnerability of natural resources and conserving and restoring ecosystems that are or may be impacted by climate change.
Download or read book Climate Actions written by Brenda Groskinsky and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2022-03-15 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers a diverse set of solid concerted strategies in the development and implementation of specific "climate actions," in natural and built places where we all live. The book also serves as a conduit of knowledge for those who are unsure on how they can make a difference for their families, their communities, and the natural places that surround them. Through many actionable examples of mitigation efforts for the ever-present effects of climate change, especially for those who may not understand the wide range of climate action opportunities that are available. Scientists, academics, and community leaders, will find concrete examples on how they too, can develop and implement climate action solutions.
Download or read book Effects of Drought on Forests and Rangelands in the United States written by James M. Vose and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This assessment provides input to the reauthorized National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the National Climate Assessment (NCA), and it establishes the scientific foundation needed to manage for drought resilience and adaptation. Focal areas include drought characterization; drought impacts on forest processes and disturbances such as insect outbreaks and wildfire; and consequences for forest and rangeland values. Drought can be a severe natural disaster with substantial social and economic consequences. Drought becomes most obvious when large-scale changes are observed; however, even moderate drought can have long-lasting impacts on the structure and function of forests and rangelands without these obvious large-scale changes. Large, stand-level impacts of drought are already underway in the West, but all U.S. forests are vulnerable to drought. Drought-associated forest disturbances are expected to increase with climatic change. Management actions can either mitigate or exacerbate the effects of drought. A first principal for increasing resilience and adaptation is to avoid management actions that exacerbate the effects of current or future drought. Options to mitigate drought include altering structural or functional components of vegetation, minimizing drought-mediated disturbance such as wildfire or insect outbreaks, and managing for reliable flow of water.
Download or read book Desert Truffles written by Varda Kagan-Zur and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-10-30 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Desert truffles are found in every known desert, irrespective of the habitat – cool or hot, loamy or acidic, sandy or heavy soil – the only common condition seems to be a limited supply of water. In contrast to ‘true’ truffles, desert truffles have evolved over time in different families, mainly within the order Pezizales. While in some arid areas, desert truffles have been traditionally used as food, in most regions interest has only recently been increasing, and truffles are now treasured for their nutritional value, as an income source and for research. This volume gives a comprehensive overview of the phylogeny, biology, mycorrhizal association, and distribution of desert truffles, their use, biochemical and medicinal properties, as well as their domestication and cultivation.
Download or read book Plant Invasions and Global Climate Change written by Sachchidanand Tripathi and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-11-25 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited book provides an ensemble of contemporary research related to the challenges, impacts and precautionary measures for tackling plant invasions in the context of changing climate in different regions of the world. In current scenario, plant invasions are expansive and significant component of anthropogenic global climate change. Temperature variations may compromise the adaptability of native species, thereby stressing them and decreasing the resistance potential of natural communities to invasion. Invasive alien species under the current scenario have been suggested as a major threat to biodiversity. It is also predicted that increasing disturbances or extreme events such as fires, floods, cyclones, storms, heat-waves, droughts, etc. will be direct consequences of changing climate supporting the invasive alien species. A comprehensive understanding of the interaction between species invasion and climate change will be supplemental in forecasting future shifts in biodiversity. Further, different predictive models indicate a plausible increase in the abundance and impact of invasive alien species which may have direct implications for future research and target-oriented policy and decision making. However, these predictions become more complicated considering the complexity of interactions between the impacts of changing climate with other components of global change (changes in land use, nitrogen deposition, etc.) which are affecting the distribution of native plant species, ecosystem dynamics as well as non-native/invasive species. This book will be suitable for students (undergraduate and postgraduates) of agriculture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental sciences; teachers, researchers, and climate change scientists in academic and research institutions. It will also be applicable to environmental management agencies, government agencies and policy makers.
Download or read book Forging a Sustainable Southwest written by Stephen E. Strom and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2024-09-03 with total page 524 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nature has presented us with a gift of incalculable value: astounding diversity of plant and animal life and interwoven biological and physical systems of intricate complexity and beauty. We are faced today with an existential environmental and moral challenge: can we find common purpose in protecting and cherishing these masterpieces and in restoring a sense of shared responsibility for stewarding our endowment? Forging a Sustainable Southwest introduces readers to four conservation efforts that provide insight into how diverse groups of citizens have worked collaboratively to develop visions for land use that harmonized sometimes conflicting ecological, economic, cultural, and community needs. Through the voices of more than seventy individuals involved in these efforts, we learn how they’ve developed plans for protecting, restoring, and stewarding lands sustainably; the management and funding tools they’ve used; and their perceptions of the challenges that remain and how to meet them. This book details efforts to craft the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, establish Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, protect Cienega Ranch, and create the Malpai Borderlands Group. It will appeal to anyone interested in grassroots efforts to protect the vital ecosystems of the western United States. These inspiring stories of citizens and groups working together demonstrate a path for the future built day-by-day: breaking bread at potlucks, holding informal front-porch discussions, and later finding common purpose in community-wide meetings. Might their efforts reveal a path to rebuilding our democratic systems from the ground up?
Download or read book Two Percent Solutions for the Planet written by Courtney White and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2015-09-21 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two Percent Solutions for the Planet profiles fifty innovative practices that soak up carbon dioxide in soils, reduce energy use, sustainably intensify food production, and increase water quality. The “two percent” refers to: the amount of new carbon in the soil needed to reap a wide variety of ecological and economic benefits; the percentage of the nation’s population who are farmers and ranchers; and the low financial cost (in terms of GDP) needed to get this work done. As White explained in Grass, Soil, Hope, a highly efficient carbon cycle captures, stores, releases, and recaptures biochemical energy, mitigating climate change, increasing water storage capacities in soil, and making green plants grow. Best of all, we don’t have to invent anything new—a wide variety of innovative ideas and methods that put carbon back into the soil have been field-tested and proven to be practical and profitable. They’re mostly low-tech, too, relying on natural resources such as sunlight, green plants, animals, compost, beavers, creeks, and more. In Two Percent Solutions for the Planet, White expands what he calls the “regenerative toolbox,” to include holistic grazing, edible forests, biochar, weed-eating livestock, food co-ops, keyline plowing, restoration agriculture, bioenergy, aquaponics, animal power, Farm Hack, bees, bears, wildlife corridors, rainwater harvesting, native seeds, and various other projects from across the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe, and Australia. These short, engaging success stories will help readers connect the dots between diverse, exciting, and pragmatic practices, and inspire them to dig deeper into each individual story and concept, energized by the news that solutions do exist.
Download or read book Our Energy Future written by Don E. Albrecht and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-07-25 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rapid changes in energy production and consumption are having major socioeconomic implications for the communities of rural America. Technological developments in horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) nuclear energy, biofuels, wind and solar energy have significantly increased domestic energy production and the production of energy from renewable sources has encouraged energy efficiency. Yet, severe concerns persist and policy decisions on energy issues will have profound implications for all Americans and rural communities where consequences are experienced most directly. Thus, the time is appropriate for a careful exploration of the socioeconomic implications of our energy future. The purpose of this book is to present timely and scientifically sound information on energy policy, socioeconomic aspects of energy production and consumption with a focus on rural areas. The book presents the latest research by top scholars with the goal of clarifying options and providing the basis for informed policy decisions.
Download or read book Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States written by Therese M. Poland and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-02-01 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.
Download or read book Mountains and Plains written by Dennis H. Knight and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2014-01-01 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many changessome discouraging, others hopefulhave occurred in the Rocky Mountain region since the first edition of this widely acclaimed book was published. Wildlife habitat has become more fragmented, once-abundant sage grouse are now scarce, and forest fires occur more frequently. At the same time, wolves have been successfully reintroduced, and new approaches to conservation have been adopted. For this updated and expanded Second Edition, the authors provide a highly readable synthesis of research undertaken in the past two decades and address two important questions: How can ecosystems be used so that future generations benefit from them as we have? How can we anticipate and adapt to climate changes while conserving biological diversity?
Download or read book Plant Genomics and Climate Change written by David Edwards and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-03-28 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the impact of climate change on agriculture and our future ability to produce the crops which are the foundation of the human diet. Specifically, individual chapters explore the potential for genomics assisted breeding of improved crops with greater yield and tolerance to the stresses associated with predicted climate change scenarios. Given the clear and unmet challenge to mitigate climate changing events, this book will be of wide interest from plant breeders and environmental scientists, government bodies through to a more general audience who are interested in the likely impact of climate change on agriculture.
Download or read book Global Vegetation and Land Surface Dynamics in a Changing Climate written by Pinki Mondal and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2021-03-19 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global ecosystem changes are influenced by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. Ongoing changes in rainfall, temperature, and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can affect natural or managed vegetation, such as forest, grassland, or farmland. Moreover, anthropogenic pressures, such as forest clearing, cattle grazing, increasing infrastructural development, intensive management, and expansion of cropland, can contribute to ecosystem degradation. This collection presents a wide range of studies examining natural and anthropogenic drivers in diverse ecosystems in Africa, Asia, and North America.
Download or read book Community Ecology Climate Change and Ecohydrology in Desert Grassland and Shrubland written by Matthew D. Petrie and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the current and future effects of global climate change on the ecology, hydrology, and precipitation of the Chihuahuan Desert in the southwestern United States.
Download or read book The Desert Grassland written by Mitchel P. McClaran and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2023-05-23 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The mixed grass and shrub vegetation known to scientists as desert grassland is common to the basins and valleys that skirt the mountain ranges throughout southwestern North America, extending from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas down through thirteen Mexican states. This variegated ground cover is crucial to life in an arid environment. The Desert Grassland offers the most comprehensive study to date of these flora and the rich biotic communities they support. Leading experts in geography, biology, botany, zoology, and geoscience present new research on the desert grassland and review a vast amount of earlier work. They reveal that present-day grasses once grew in the ice-age forests that existed in these areas before the climate dried and the trees vanished and how the intensity and frequency of fire can influence the plant and animal species of the grassland. They also document how the influence of humans—from Amerindians to contemporary ranchers, public land managers, and real estate developers—has changed the relative abundance of woody and herbaceous species and how the introduction of new plants and domesticated animals to the area has also affected biodiversity. The book concludes with a review of the attempts, both failed and successful, to reestablish plants in desert grasslands affected by overgrazing, drought, and farm abandonment. Meticulously researched and copiously illustrated, The Desert Grassland is a major contribution to ecological literature. For advanced lay readers as well as students and scholars of history, geography, and ecology, it will be a standard reference work for years to come.
