Webinar: Phenology for wildlife conservation and climate change adaptation
Channel: Conservation and Adaptation Resources Toolbox
Date: 2014-07-30

Title: Phenology for wildlife conservation and climate change adaptation

Presenter: Dr. Carolyn Enquist, Science and Applications Coordinator, USA-National Phenology Network

Date: June 26th, 2014 at 9 am PST

Abstract:
Changes in the timing of phenological events—such as hibernation, migration, and breeding —have been called a 'globally coherent fingerprint of climate change impacts' on plants and animals. Not surprisingly, phenology is now widely accepted as a robust ecological indicator of the impacts of climate change. Climate-induced changes in phenology have been linked to increases in wildfire activity and pest outbreaks, shifts in species distributions, declines in the abundance of native species, the spread of invasive species, and changes in carbon cycling in forests. The breadth of these impacts highlights the potential for phenological data and related information to inform management and policy-decisions across sectors.

In this talk, I'll focus on how phenology informs wildlife conservation and climate change adaptation. I'll specifically show how phenology information can be used to facilitate the achievement of numerous natural resource management objectives. These range from conventional adaptive management and emerging climate change adaptation strategies to education and public outreach. I'll address the concept of 'climate-informed' monitoring and point out the key metrics for monitoring the ecological response to climate change, particularly in the context of vulnerability assessment. Finally, I'll highlight how Nature's Notebook, a web-based comprehensive phenology monitoring program, is not only operationalizing systematic data collection at protected areas across the U.S., but already is cultivating the public's natural and climate science literacy by incorporating a participatory citizen science approach.

About the Presenter:
Dr. Carolyn Enquist has worked on biodiversity issues for two decades, having worked for the National Wildlife Federation, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, and The Wildlife Society. She has largely focusing on the conservation and management implications of climate change, including the launch of the Southwest Climate Change Initiative (SWCCI), a regional collaboration focused on adaptation planning and on-the-ground action. She has contributed to a number of national reports and scientific papers focused on biodiversity impacts, vulnerability assessment, and adaptation. Most recently she was a lead author on several writing teams that contributed to the 2014 National Climate Assessment. Carolyn currently coordinates the USA-National Phenology Network's science and applications activities based out of the University of Arizona.