Laura Thompson, Ph.D.
Laura Thompson is a Research Ecologist with the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC). Her research focuses on responses of terrestrial species to changes in climate. The purpose of her research is to provide the management community with science-based information that can assist with decision making regarding adaptation options.
Laura received her Ph.D. in Environmental and Life Sciences at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario where she studied historical and contemporary genetic patterns of woodland caribou in the boreal forest regions of Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Laura also holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her current research focuses on three themes:
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The ability of species to abate the impacts of climate change (“adaptive capacity”)
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Incorporating evolutionary considerations into climate adaptation
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Uncertainty of climate change impacts and use of decision-support techniques
In addition to the projects listed below, Laura is serving as an author with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) on the Americas Assessment. She also is serving as an author on the Fourth National Climate Assessment’s (NCA) chapter on biodiversity.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 16
The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) Framework
The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework is a tool that helps resource managers make informed strategies for responding to socio-ecological changes, including climate change.
Webinar: The RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) Climate Adaptation Framework
Join this webinar to learn more about the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework, a decision-making tool that helps resource managers make informed strategies for responding to ecological changes resulting from climate change!
'Climate-Smart' Keystone Native Plants for Restoration in a Changing Climate
Climate change threatens keystone plant communities and insects that make up the base of functional food webs, but restoration practitioners struggle to factor climate considerations into restoration projects for a number of practical reasons. Researchers supported by this National CASC project will create a trait-based plant vulnerability assessment to guide restoration practitioners in selecting
Developing an Indicator of Species Vulnerability to Climate Change to Support a Consistent Nationwide Approach to Assessing Vulnerability
Scientists and resource managers are in need of a better understanding of the status and trends of wildlife species and the vulnerability of these species to climate change. Effective prioritization of species and habitats for climate adaptation, endangered species management, and recreational and cultural hunting and fishing will require development, testing, and application of comprehensive str
Moose and Winter Ticks in Western Wyoming
Moose are an important game species in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming but hunter opportunities have been reduced in many areas over the last two decades as populations have declined at this southern limit of the species’ geographic range. In the Jackson, Wyoming area moose populations have declined by an estimated 80% since the early 1990s. Rising temperatures, pathogens, and parasites represent some
Evaluating Species’ Adaptive Capacity in a Changing Climate: Applications to Natural-Resource Management in the Northwestern U.S.
Natural resource managers are confronted with the pressing challenge to develop conservation plans that address complex ecological and societal needs against the backdrop of a rapidly changing climate. Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) provide valuable information that helps guide management and conservation actions in this regard. An essential component to CCVAs is understanding ad
Understanding the Effects of Climate Variability and Change on Ungulates in North America
Ungulates, or hoofed mammals such as elk, deer, and moose, occupy a diversity of habitats across North America, from Canada’s high arctic to the deserts of Mexico. Ungulates play an important ecological role, helping to regulate processes such as nutrient cycling in forests and grasslands, through their grazing activities. They are also economically and culturally important, providing recreational
State of the Science on Ecosystem Transformation
Recent changes in climate are having profound effects on many fish and wildlife species, and projections suggest that those trends are likely to continue. Changing climate conditions have the potential to transform ecosystems, which impacts not only fish and wildlife but also human communities, which rely on ecosystems for important goods and services such as food and water filtration. Strategies
Understanding Species' Range Shifts in Response to Climate Change: Results from a Systematic National Review
Climate change represents one of the foremost drivers of ecological change, yet its documented impacts on biodiversity remain uncertain and complex. Although there have been many published studies on species shifting their geographic ranges in response to climate change, it is still challenging to identify the specific mechanisms and conditions that facilitate range shifts in some species and not
Webinar: What is Ecological Drought? Exploring Its Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
View this webinar to learn how scientists are working to identify the ecological impacts of drought.
Adaptive Capacity: The Linchpin for Understanding and Addressing Species Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts
Different species have different ways of coping with changing climate conditions. Some species may move to more-favorable habitats, others may change their behavior (such as by shifting their diets), and still others may change the timing of life-cycle events (such as migration). The ability of a species to accommodate changing conditions is known as its “adaptive capacity”. Understanding the ada
Can Evolution Help Wildlife Adapt to Climate Change? Exploring Evolutionary Adaptive Capacity (EVAC) and Bridging the Gap between Science and Management
Assessing the vulnerability of wildlife species to a changing climate is critical for understanding what adaptation actions need to be taken to minimize negative impacts. The ability of species to adapt to the impacts of climate change (i.e., their adaptive capacity) is an important factor to consider when assessing vulnerability. For example, organisms can possess traits that allow them to move t
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 16
The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) Framework
The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework is a tool that helps resource managers make informed strategies for responding to socio-ecological changes, including climate change.
Webinar: The RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) Climate Adaptation Framework
Join this webinar to learn more about the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework, a decision-making tool that helps resource managers make informed strategies for responding to ecological changes resulting from climate change!
'Climate-Smart' Keystone Native Plants for Restoration in a Changing Climate
Climate change threatens keystone plant communities and insects that make up the base of functional food webs, but restoration practitioners struggle to factor climate considerations into restoration projects for a number of practical reasons. Researchers supported by this National CASC project will create a trait-based plant vulnerability assessment to guide restoration practitioners in selecting
Developing an Indicator of Species Vulnerability to Climate Change to Support a Consistent Nationwide Approach to Assessing Vulnerability
Scientists and resource managers are in need of a better understanding of the status and trends of wildlife species and the vulnerability of these species to climate change. Effective prioritization of species and habitats for climate adaptation, endangered species management, and recreational and cultural hunting and fishing will require development, testing, and application of comprehensive str
Moose and Winter Ticks in Western Wyoming
Moose are an important game species in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming but hunter opportunities have been reduced in many areas over the last two decades as populations have declined at this southern limit of the species’ geographic range. In the Jackson, Wyoming area moose populations have declined by an estimated 80% since the early 1990s. Rising temperatures, pathogens, and parasites represent some
Evaluating Species’ Adaptive Capacity in a Changing Climate: Applications to Natural-Resource Management in the Northwestern U.S.
Natural resource managers are confronted with the pressing challenge to develop conservation plans that address complex ecological and societal needs against the backdrop of a rapidly changing climate. Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) provide valuable information that helps guide management and conservation actions in this regard. An essential component to CCVAs is understanding ad
Understanding the Effects of Climate Variability and Change on Ungulates in North America
Ungulates, or hoofed mammals such as elk, deer, and moose, occupy a diversity of habitats across North America, from Canada’s high arctic to the deserts of Mexico. Ungulates play an important ecological role, helping to regulate processes such as nutrient cycling in forests and grasslands, through their grazing activities. They are also economically and culturally important, providing recreational
State of the Science on Ecosystem Transformation
Recent changes in climate are having profound effects on many fish and wildlife species, and projections suggest that those trends are likely to continue. Changing climate conditions have the potential to transform ecosystems, which impacts not only fish and wildlife but also human communities, which rely on ecosystems for important goods and services such as food and water filtration. Strategies
Understanding Species' Range Shifts in Response to Climate Change: Results from a Systematic National Review
Climate change represents one of the foremost drivers of ecological change, yet its documented impacts on biodiversity remain uncertain and complex. Although there have been many published studies on species shifting their geographic ranges in response to climate change, it is still challenging to identify the specific mechanisms and conditions that facilitate range shifts in some species and not
Webinar: What is Ecological Drought? Exploring Its Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
View this webinar to learn how scientists are working to identify the ecological impacts of drought.
Adaptive Capacity: The Linchpin for Understanding and Addressing Species Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts
Different species have different ways of coping with changing climate conditions. Some species may move to more-favorable habitats, others may change their behavior (such as by shifting their diets), and still others may change the timing of life-cycle events (such as migration). The ability of a species to accommodate changing conditions is known as its “adaptive capacity”. Understanding the ada
Can Evolution Help Wildlife Adapt to Climate Change? Exploring Evolutionary Adaptive Capacity (EVAC) and Bridging the Gap between Science and Management
Assessing the vulnerability of wildlife species to a changing climate is critical for understanding what adaptation actions need to be taken to minimize negative impacts. The ability of species to adapt to the impacts of climate change (i.e., their adaptive capacity) is an important factor to consider when assessing vulnerability. For example, organisms can possess traits that allow them to move t