Aridlands: Columbia Plateau Steppe and Grassland

Submitted by Jorge Tomasevic on Tue, 2012-06-05 10:41

Geography:

PNW

Direct Sensitivities

Direct sensitivities to changes in temperature and precipitation:
There are two ways to consider a system's direct sensitivity to changes in temperature and precipitation; 1) Does the system inhabit a relatively narrow climatic zone(s) (making it more sensitive)? and 2) Does the system show large changes in composition or structure in response to relatively small changes in temperature or precipitation (making it more sensitive) or conversely, would it take much larger changes in temperature and precipitation to elicit a change in composition or structure (i.e., a less sensitive system)?

How sensitive is this system to temperature (means and extremes):

Confidence in the direct sensitivity to changes in temperature and precipitation:

How sensitive is this system to precipitation (means and extremes):

Comments:

Aridland systems were assessed during a Sept 2011 workshop of experts. The following are the individual scores that each expert identified: Temp sensitivity values: 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,2 confidence values: 3,3,3,4,4,4,3,3,3,3 Precip sensitivity values: 3,3,3,3,4,4,3,3,3,3 confidence values: 3,3,4,4,4,4,2,2,2,2

Citations:

Experts Josh Lawler Lynn Helbrecht Dan Siemann Pene Speaks Mike Schroeder MattVander Haegen Janelle Downs

Indirect Sensitivities

Indirect sensitivities:
More sensitive systems will show larger changes in composition or structure in response to small changes in indirect factors, such as disturbance regimes. Conversely, it would take much larger changes in these factors to elicit a change in composition or structure in less sensitive systems.

How sensitive is this system on one or more indirect factors:

Confidence in the sensitivity to indirect factors:

Please select all indirect factors upon which this habitat is sensitive:

Fire

Comments:

Aridland systems were assessed during a Sept 2011 workshop of experts. The following are the individual scores that each expert identified: sensitivity values: 5,5,5,5,6,6,4,4,5,6 confidence values: 4,4,4,4,4,5,3,4,4,4

Citations:

Experts Josh Lawler Lynn Helbrecht Dan Siemann Pene Speaks Mike Schroeder MattVander Haegen Janelle Downs

Other Stressors

Sensitivity to impacts of other stressors:

To what degree do other, non‐climate‐related threats to the system make it more sensitive to climate change:

Confidence in the degree to which non‐climate‐related threats affect the systems’ sensitivity to climate change:

Please select all of the stressors that make the system more sensitive to climate change::

Invasive/exotic species

Other, please describe in Comments below

Comments:

Other: grazing Aridland systems were assessed during a Sept 2011 workshop of experts. The following are the individual scores that each expert identified: sensitivity values: 5,5,5,5,6,6,5,5,6,6 confidence values: 4,4,4,4,4,5,3,3,4,4

Citations:

Experts Josh Lawler Lynn Helbrecht Dan Siemann Pene Speaks Mike Schroeder MattVander Haegen Janelle Downs

Other Sensitivities

Other Sensitivities:
Are there other critical factors that have not been addressed that will likely make this system more sensitive to climate change?*
*Please include any other factor that you may consider critical to understand the potential response of this system to climate change that was not represented with the previous questions. If no other factors apply, please leave it blank but specify your confidence associated with this question.

Comments:

None

Citations:

Experts Josh Lawler Lynn Helbrecht Dan Siemann Pene Speaks Mike Schroeder MattVander Haegen Janelle Downs

Overall User Ranking

This question is not included in the sensitivity score.
Overall User Ranking:

In your opinion, how would you rank the overall sensitivity of this system to climate change:

Confidence in your overall assessment of the sensitivity of this system to climate change:

Comments:

Aridland systems were assessed during a Sept 2011 workshop of experts. The following are the individual scores that each expert identified: sensitivity values: 5,5,5,5,5,6,4,5,5,5 confidence values: 4,4,4,4,4,4,3,3,3,4 Note: The experts thought this system had identical sensitivity to Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe and should be lumped together

Citations:

Experts Josh Lawler Lynn Helbrecht Dan Siemann Pene Speaks Mike Schroeder MattVander Haegen Janelle Downs

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Climate Change Sensitivity Database

Aridlands: Columbia Plateau Steppe and Grassland