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Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment of Major Habitats on and Around DoD lands
SERDP, Resource Conservation and Resiliency Program Area
The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) was to improve our understanding of how natural communities occurring on and around Department of Defense (DoD) lands and waters are likely to be vulnerable to climate change effects on their composition, structure and function. Furthermore, the goal of this SON was to translate our understanding of these issues into actionable information that DoD site managers can use to better manage their sites. Specific research objectives included the following:
Assess habitat vulnerability to climate change and identify the factors that drive vulnerability.
Develop an improved understanding of the spatial variability in drivers of vulnerability across a species’ range.
Develop an improved understanding of the relationship between changing climate and key ecological processes such as fire regime, hydrological regime or food webs.
Develop methodologies, tools or guidance that translates research on these issues into practical information that will improve adaptive management of these sensitive habitats to meet conservation objectives.
Proposers were required to address each specific objective listed above. Proposers were required to specifically state the rational for selection of the species and associated habitats that would be assessed. Timeframes for assessment should have been included forecasts of near term or mid-century vulnerability, which inherently have increasing uncertainty, or current, observed trends in vulnerability that could have been assessed with higher levels of certainty. Research must support vulnerability assessments that can lead to appropriate management responses to ensure continued provision of key ecosystem services while supporting other mission-critical needs.
Funded projects will appear below as project overviews are posted to the website.