Welcome! Please read the introductory information below then explore other pages by clicking links above!
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 see writings on conservation and climate change by John Wiens, PhD, PRBO's 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 and evaluate management and restoration actions and success. 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.
Click HERE to view the report "INDICATORS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA" released April 2009 by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment with several contributions by PRBO scientists.
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 pages listed at the top of this page detail our efforts. Click on the links to learn more. If you'd like to contact any of our biologists or support staff, please refer to our PRBO Staff page or following pages for contact information. For general inquiries you may contact Lishka Arata, Conservation Educator, at 707-781-2555 ext 354 or larata@prbo.org.
Vision Statement: PRBO’s goal is to develop and provide science-based decision-support tools and guidance for effective bird and ecosystem conservation in the face of accelerating climate change.
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