The NC CASC Rapid Climate Assessment Program (RCAP) aims to create a series of Rapid Climate Assessments (RCAs) which are a synthesis of science information that can be used as a baseline for further research and a foundation for future stakeholder engagement. These RCAs include key elements of collaborative climate adaptation science, including co-production by stakeholders and researchers, status and vulnerability assessments, and identification of challenges and solutions for the given topic.
Each RCA project is led by a team that includes NC CASC research scientists and graduate research assistants (GRAs). The Summer 2024 RCAP topics and teams are:
- Ecological Transformations in Sagebrush Ecosystems: Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC Lead), Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC Co-Lead), Christy Miller Hesed (NC CASC Co-Lead), Katie Bardsley (GRA) and Lauren Lee Barrett (GRA)
- Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument: Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC Co-Lead), Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC Co-Lead) and Andrew Veselka (GRA)
- Supporting the Biodiversity and Climate Change National Assessment: Laura Dee (CU Lead) and Anna LoPresti (GRA)
- Tribal Planning Processes: Janna Black and Kynser Wahwahsuck (BIA Tribal Resilience Liaisons), Heather Yocum (NC CASC Lead) and Shelby Ross (GRA)
- Synthesis of wildlife disease management under a changing climate: Wynne Moss (USGS and NC CASC Lead), Kimberly Szcodronski (Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, State Wildlife Action Plan Lead, Heather Yocum (NC CASC administrative) and Kyle Schutz (GRA)
- Downscaled NCA5 Key Messages for Practitioners in the North Central Region: Hailey Robe (NC CASC program assistant), Jane Wolken (NC CASC), Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC), Ulyana Horodyskyj Peña (NC CASC), Corrie Knapp (University of Wyoming)
Rapid Climate Assessment Program
This report was created by the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (UMRBNM) RCAP team to examine factors impacting the UMRBNM.
Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC co-lead), Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC co-lead), and Andrew Veselka (Graduate Research Assistant)
This annotated bibliography was created by the Ecological Transformation in Sagebrush Ecosystems RCAP team to synthesize social and ecological topics in sagebrush ecosystems.
Imtiaz Rangwala (NC CASC co-lead), Kyra Clark-Wolf (NC CASC co-lead), Christy Miller Hesed (NC CASC co-lead), Katie Bardsley (Graduate Research Assistant) and Lauren Barrett (Graduate Research Assistant)
Navigating wildlife infectious diseases in the context of climate change is daunting – what can agencies do? Vector-borne diseases are a great example of how warming ambient temperatures and shifts in precipitation alter species ranges, and place new populations at risk for disease. The ways in which climate change impacts the disease triangle (host-pathogen-environment interactions), however, are complex and often unpredictable.
Collectively, sagebrush ecosystems are often fondly referred to as the “Sagebrush Sea” for the sweeping views of abundant blue-green sagebrush plants and the wide-open skies that characterize these widespread landscapes in the western US. Beyond the iconic sagebrush plant, these ecosystems are home to a diverse array of native shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants that support a large number of wildlife species, including the greater sage-grouse, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope.
Sagebrush ecosystems are the picture of the American West. Seas of aromatic bushes spread across the dry, cold-desert landscape, functioning as shelter for some species. Birds and rodents nibble on flowers and grasses, and the sage grouse, a species experiencing dramatic population declines, relies on intact sagebrush habitat to perform its iconic mating dance. Not only is ecological integrity in sagebrush communities critical for wildlife, but humans also rely on sagebrush systems for livestock grazing, recreation, water and nutrient cycle regulation, and cultural significance.