Climate Change Impacts on Introduced Cool-Season (C3) Grasses in the Prairie Pothole Region, USA

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) spans ~170 million acres in the northern Great Plains. The region is characterized by mixed-grass and tallgrass prairies, composed of native cool- season (C3) and warm-season (C4) grasses, interspersed with abundant wetlands or “potholes.” To safeguard biodiversity and maintain wildlife habitat, grassland conservation is a management priority on the nearly 1 million acres of National Wildlife Refuge System lands in the region.

September/October 2023 Newsletter

The September/October 2023 NC CASC newsletter is out. Learn more about what we've been up to and catch up on any news that you may have missed!

Native American Heritage Month

This November, the NC CASC pays tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans during Native American Heritage month. We foster innovative and applied research in support of Tribal, federal, state and local natural resource management and decision-making. Partnerships with Tribal nations in the North Central region and beyond are unique in that Indigenous peoples have a depth of knowledge extending for millennia.

Next NC CASC webinar - November 9, 2023

The Colorado River Basin is in crisis. As a result of climate change induced long-term drought, the Basin faces chronic water shortages with significant impacts across economic sectors. The agricultural sector is the largest water user in the Basin, meaning that farmers and ranchers are central to both the impacts of and solutions to water shortages. Their involvement will be key to developing effective policy solutions to today’s water crisis.

When

The Colorado River Basin is in crisis. As a result of climate change induced long-term drought, the Basin faces chronic water shortages with significant impacts across economic sectors. The agricultural sector is the largest water user in the Basin, meaning that farmers and ranchers are central to both the impacts of and solutions to water shortages. Their involvement will be key to developing effective policy solutions to today’s water crisis. This webinar will present findings from a survey of 1,020 agricultural water users throughout six states to understand their perspectives on the present crisis, current adaptation strategies, and preferences for water conservation programs to address water shortages going forward. It will also highlight case studies of conservation program preferences and adoption in two headwater subbasins in Colorado and Wyoming and the current status of efforts to adapt to increased uncertainty. Given the importance of agriculture as the primary water user in the Basin, proactively engaging agricultural communities will be critical to successfully managing water shortages. Understanding the perspectives and preferences of agricultural water users can help guide the development of solutions that work for producers and other users in the Basin.

NC CASC webinar recording available

Biogeography entwines the studies of demography, disturbances, dispersal, and in light of changing climate – disequilibrium dynamics. All of these ecological and evolutionary processes interact to shape the stability of species current and future distributions, and – as I will focus on in this talk – may be influenced by landscape heterogeneity.

New RCAP Product: Climate Adaptation in the North Central Mountains

The Alpine RCAP group has completed a 4-page summary document, titled "Climate Adaptation in the North Central Mountains: Alpine Tundra and Treeline."