Projects by Region

Project Overview Migratory big game species, like mule deer, are at risk due to human development and more frequent drought events that can limit access to food resources during migration. To address this, researchers supported by this North Central CASC project will collaborate with State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to examine the effectiveness of corridor conservation as a strategy to improve

Coastal marshes in the Gulf of Mexico host diverse ecological communities and hold Native American cultural artifacts within shell mounds (middens). However, both are vulnerable to erosion and submergence due to rising sea levels and more frequent severe storms. Researchers supported by this Southeast CASC project will develop a risk-assessment tool to evaluate the vulnerability of cultural sites

Infrastructure development and climate change pose significant threats to migratory bird populations by altering their distributions and habitat. This Northeast CASC-supported research team will use citizen-science and structured monitoring data to identify current and future areas that are important for migratory bird species across the Northeastern US. Researchers will produce high-resolution fo

The US Virgin Islands are vulnerable to sea level rise, intense storms, and unpredictable rainfall brought by climate change. These changes influence the health of freshwater streams (known as “ghuts”), sedimentation, erosion and water quality (“grit”), as well as aquatic communities and ecosystems (“gills”) that are unique to the islands and important for indigenous peoples’ heritage, local fishe

Flooding in urban centers caused by increasingly severe storms has led to massive economic, social, and ecological damage. Researchers supported by this South Central CASC project will examine flood vulnerability and equity in mitigation efforts in Harris County, Texas, currently home to the highest concentration of federally funded relocation projects in the country. The resulting flood vulnerabi

Project Overview Climate change and human activities are threatening many sensitive aquatic species in prairie streams across the Great Plains region. Researchers supported by this North Central CASC project will combine and analyze data collected independently by Great Plains states to identify thresholds of environmental change that may lead to species loss and changes in aquatic communities. Th

Climate and economic stressors are causing large numbers of people to emigrate from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, even while new development continues. To provide a tool to help managers and policymakers make informed decisions about development and conservation, researchers for this Southeast CASC-supported project will co-produce a land change model that can simulate future scenarios

Recent catastrophic droughts and wildfires have killed almost 20% of mature giant sequoia trees across California, and it is uncertain whether natural seedling regeneration will be enough to restore these forests, especially in severely burned areas. Researchers supported by this Southwest CASC project will assess whether soil conditions, such as moisture and soil microbial communities can increas

Project Overview The iconic grizzly bear of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has exhibited a remarkable recovery in response to concerted conservation actions implemented since its listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975. However, information regarding the potential effects and timing of climate change in conjunction with increasing human recreation and development will be

Project Overview: Native Yellowstone cutthroat trout and mountain whitefish in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYA) are ecologically and socio-economically important species, but are threatened by drought, rising water temperatures, habitat loss, and non-native species. Researchers supported by this North Central CASC project will use climate data and extensive population records to assess the

Climate change threatens many functions of wetlands and habitat connectivity for migratory shorebirds who use wetlands across the Southern Great Plains. Researchers supported by this South Central CASC project will survey stakeholders in the region, project climate impacts on wetland-dependent birds, and create tools for conservation planning (e.g., ranking wetland importance to shorebirds). Resul

Project Overview Climate change is expected to change rainfall patterns on pacific islands like Hawaiʻi, but current global models lack the resolution to accurately predict local rainfall. Researchers supported by this Pacific Islands CASC project will use machine learning models and historical data to improve rainfall predictions and create detailed rainfall maps for Hawaiʻi that can be used to