Fragmentation extent of six ecosystem types after European Settlement was analyzed using LANDFIRE data. The ecosystem types includes: Grassland, Shrubland, Conifer, Riparian, Hardwood and Sparse ecosystems. The land use change and fragmentation extents have been analyzed by delineating nine Greater Wildland Ecosystems (GWEs) across NCCSC.

Fragmentation extent of six ecosystem types after European Settlement was analyzed using LANDFIRE data. The ecosystem types includes: Grassland, Shrubland, Conifer, Riparian, Hardwood and Sparse ecosystems. The land use change and fragmentation extents have been analyzed by delineating nine Greater Wildland Ecosystems (GWEs) across NCCSC.

Pinyon-juniper woodlands are a major part of western landscapes and are valued for recreational use, cultural resources, watershed protection, and wildlife habitats. These woodlands have been identified by several stakeholders, including natural resource management entities, federal and state agencies, and numerous tribal nations, as important ecosystems that are currently threatened by land treatments, changes in disturbance regimes such as drought and fire, and widespread tree mortality. Currently there exist competing objectives for the management of these systems, including the desire to preserve pinyon-juniper viability as climate conditions continue to shift, as well as the need to track these systems to ensure their ranges do not expand into historically non-forested areas. The Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative (SRLCC), which considers pinyon-juniper woodlands among their focal resources, recently conducted vulnerability assessments of these woodlands in the four corners and upper Rio Grande landscapes. In a series of workshops to discuss these assessments, stakeholders identified the need for synthesizing regional knowledge of pinyon-juniper woodland structure and dynamics, which can differ dramatically due to the geographically broad distribution of this ecosystem.   The goal of this project is to synthesize the state of the science on pinyon-juniper woodland ecosystems by examining previous research and management practices to identify what is known and what remains to be studied. To do this, researchers are compiling published, peer-reviewed, scientific manuscripts and agency reports on the structure, function, and management of pinyon-juniper ecosystems into a comprehensive database. Unpublished material from land managers who work with pinyon-juniper systems, libraries at the US Forest Service, USGS, and other agencies will also be incorporated. The end product will be a state of the science report evaluating the influence current management decisions and climatic conditions have on possible adaptation strategies for pinyon-juniper woodlands.

Rates of climate and land use change vary across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains as do the responses of ecosystems to these changes. Knowledge of locations of rapid land use and climate change and changes in ecosystem services such as water runoff and ecological productivity are important for vulnerability assessment and crafting locally relevant adaptation strategies to cope with these changes. This project assessed the loss of public, private, and tribal lands due to ongoing land use intensifications and fragmentation extents across the NC CSC domain. In addition, the project evaluated how the climate, ecosystem processes, and vegetation have shifted over the past half century and how they are projected to change in the coming century under various future scenarios. These analyses were carried out in GWEs and EPA III level ecoregions centered at public, tribal, and private lands. These areas of natural vegetation provide ecosystem services important to local people and knowledge of patterns of climate and ecological change are important to resource managers. The results of the project can be used by the NC CSC Adaptation team to work with local stakeholders to develop strategies for coping with and adapting to the ongoing land use change and projected changes in climate.

Historical and projected climate data and water balance data under three GCMs (CNRM-CM5, CCSM4, and IPSL-CM5A-MR) from 1980 to 2099 was used to assess projected climate change impacts in North Central U.S. We obtained required data from MACA data (https://climate.northwestknowledge.net/MACA/). Historical time period ranges from 1980 to 2005, and projected time period ranges from 2071 to 2099. The climate data includes temperature and precipitation whereas water balance data includes Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) and Moisture Index (MI) estimated using Penman-Monteith and Thornthwaite methods defining as Penman PET, Penman MI, Thornthwaite PET and Thornthwaite MI.  Both types of MI was estimated as a ratio of Precipitation and Evapotranspiration. The MACA data includes Penman PET which was estimated using Penman-Monteith methods. However, Thornthwaite PET was estimated using Thornthwaite methods for this project. 

Historical and projected climate data and water balance data under three GCMs (CNRM-CM5, CCSM4, and IPSL-CM5A-MR) from 1980 to 2099 was used to assess projected climate change impacts in North Central U.S. We obtained required data from MACA data (https://climate.northwestknowledge.net/MACA/). Historical time period ranges from 1980 to 2005, and projected time period ranges from 2071 to 2099. The climate data includes temperature and precipitation whereas water balance data includes Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) and Moisture Index (MI) estimated using Penman-Monteith and Thornthwaite methods defining as Penman PET, Penman MI, Thornthwaite PET and Thornthwaite MI.  Both types of MI was estimated as a ratio of Precipitation and Evapotranspiration. The MACA data includes Penman PET which was estimated using Penman-Monteith methods. However, Thornthwaite PET was estimated using Thornthwaite methods for this project. For further details please see summary sheet below. 

Historical and projected climate data and water balance data under three GCMs (CNRM-CM5, CCSM4, and IPSL-CM5A-MR) from 1980 to 2099 was used to assess projected climate change impacts in North Central U.S. We obtained required data from MACA data (https://climate.northwestknowledge.net/MACA/). Historical time period ranges from 1980 to 2005, and projected time period ranges from 2071 to 2099. The climate data includes temperature and precipitation whereas water balance data includes Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) and Moisture Index (MI) estimated using Penman-Monteith and Thornthwaite methods defining as Penman PET, Penman MI, Thornthwaite PET and Thornthwaite MI.  Both types of MI was estimated as a ratio of Precipitation and Evapotranspiration. The MACA data includes Penman PET which was estimated using Penman-Monteith methods. However, Thornthwaite PET was estimated using Thornthwaite methods for this project.