Introduction
Human-caused climate change is accelerating and birds and their ecosystems are experiencing its impacts. PRBO biologists are documenting impacts such as nest abandonment, reduced reproductive effort and mismatches in predator-prey timing in bird populations on land and at sea. PRBO’s long term data sets reveal significant changes in spring and fall songbird arrival dates as well as correlations between decreased nest success and El Nino. These impacts appear to be driven by more extreme weather events including severe drought, anomalous rainfall events, highly variable ocean currents and changing wind patterns.
Click here to read Conservation in a Changing World: Climate Change and Thresholds by John Wiens, PhD, PRBO's incoming Chief Conservation Science Officer.
Birds as Climate Change Indicators
Because birds are high on the food chain and very sensitive to environmental change, bird research and monitoring provide early warning as to how and where change is occurring and might occur in the future. Study results therefore guide effective restoration and management actions and evaluate the success of management actions. Studying birds as indicators of ecosystem conservation actions will yield significant ecological and economic benefits. For example
- Riparian restoration decreases flood damage, replenishes groundwater and provides fish nurseries;
- Expanded tidal wetlands reduce flood and sea level rise affects, filter out pollutants and sequester carbon; and
- Protecting marine food webs could slow impacts from increased ocean variability.
Conservation in a Changing Climate
To help maintain ecosystem integrity during rapid change for birds, other wildlife and humans, we must rely on a range of conservation approaches including
- long term data collection;
- modeling demographic responses of species to both climate and habitat change;
- developing plans for bird species of future concern;
- prioritizing ecosystem function over single species management;
- increasing partnerships to maximize outcomes;
- expanding web-based information sharing; and
- growing citizen science initiatives.
PRBO is working toward these goals and the following pages detail our efforts. Click on the links at the top of this page to learn more. If you'd like to contact any of our biologists or support staff, please refer to our PRBO Staff page for contact information.
Vision Statement: PRBO will provide and guide effective conservation strategies amidst rapid environmental changes to ensure resilient ecosystems and healthy bird and wildlife populations.
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