Understanding the effects of climatic change on ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada

Conference · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States)

OSTI ID:6395858

Parsons, D J; Stephenson, N L; Graber, D M; Esperanza, A M ^[1]

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1. National Park Service, Three Rivers, CA (United States)

An interdisciplinary research program has recently been undertaken to understand and predict the potential effects of human induced climatic change on the natural ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada. Based on a biogeographic area concept and funded largely by the National Park Service, the Sierra Nevada global change research program is designed to understand and predict potential changes in biota and hydrology. Priority studies include understanding how the structure and composition of Sierran communities are controlled by climate, predicting changes in species abundance and distribution, and understanding and predicting potential hydrolic changes. Program emphasis to date has focused on the development of predictive models of the effects of climate change on forest composition and dynamics. Paleoecological data documenting the interdependence of climate, fire an vegetation will be used to test these models.

• OSTI ID: 6395858
• Report Number(s): CONF-930798--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States) Journal Volume: 74:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CLIMATIC CHANGE
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOSYSTEMS
FORECASTING
HYDROLOGY
NEVADA
NORTH AMERICA
POPULATION DYNAMICS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
USA
VARIATIONS