Urban Forest Health
Increasing temperatures, an expanding human population, and increased cover of invasive shrubs and grasses, such as common gorse, fountain grass and guinea grass, all contribute to increased risk of wildfire in Hawai'i.
Warmer temperatures and decreased cloud cover in some areas are likely to result in greater evaporation rates, leading to reductions in water supply and increases in demand. Hawai'i has already experienced a trend toward increasing drought conditions during the winter rainy season. Decreased soil moisture increases plant stress, with impacts to agricultural and natural systems.
This tool allows the user to choose an island, area of interest, and view the sea level rise exposure area, passive flooding, annual high wave flooding, and coastal erosion. Additionally, users can view potential economic loss and flooded highways.
Warmer oceans are leading to increased coral bleaching and disease outbreaks and changing distribution of tuna fisheries. Freshwater supplies will become more limited on many islands. Coastal flooding and erosion will increase. Mounting threats to food and water security, infrastructure, health, and safety are expected to lead to increasing human migration.
Changes in the timing of streamflow reduce water supplies for competing demands. Sea level rise, erosion, inundation, risks to infrastructure, and increasing ocean acidity pose major threats. Increasing wildfire, insect outbreaks, and tree diseases are causing widespread tree die-off.
The assessment examines what climate and climate change mean for the health and well-being of human populations and the environment throughout the Southwestern United States, an area of about 700,000 square miles.
The Colorado Climate Change Vulnerability Study provides an overview of key vulnerabilities that climate variability and change will pose for Colorado’s economy and resources. The purpose of the study is to provide state agencies, local governments, and others with background for preparedness planning.
This is a chapter in a book that focuses on the hazards of climate change on Utah.
Grassland is a natural community group that broadly characterizes several distinct natural communities. Grassland broadly includes: Bracken Grassland, Dry Prairie, Dry-mesic Prairie, Mesic Prairie, Sand Prairie, Wet Prairie, Wet-mesic prairie natural communities. Grasslands with high floral diversity that occur within large open landscapes may fare best: plants may shift locations and composition may fluctuate over time based on responses to climatic variables. This adaptive capacity is further enhanced if a site has (micro)topographical diversity.
