[wisb] Changes in California's Bird Communities Due to Climate Change

From: "William Mueller" <iltlawas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "wisbirdn" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 19:00:37 -0500
Below is a press release for a recent publication from PRBO with partners
from Stanford University, UC Santa Cruz, and the Klamath Bird Observatory,
outlining some predicted changes in California?s Bird Communities.  This
story has been receiving a lot of attention; here is a link to a recent
article in the SF Chronicle: 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/02/MNBT19E450.DTL
  (SF Chronicle Sept. 2, 2009) 

Press Release: Changes in California?s Bird Communities Due to Climate
Change
 
Contacts: 
Diana Stralberg, Landscape Ecologist, PRBO, (707) 781-2555 ext. 325,
dstralberg@xxxxxxxx
John Wiens, PhD, Chief Conservation Science Officer, PRBO, (707) 781-2555
ext. 319, jwiens@xxxxxxxx
Terry Root, PhD, Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment,
Stanford University, troot@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Melissa Pitkin, Outreach, PRBO, (707) 781-2555 ext. 307, mpitkin@xxxxxxxx
 
As much as half of California could be occupied by new bird communities by
2070 according to a new study by PRBO Conservation Science (PRBO) and
partners.   The publication entitled ?Reshuffling of species with climate
disruption: A no-analog future for California birds?? is to be released in
the September 2 online issue of PLoS ONE. 
 
As the climate changes, bird species are expected to shift their
distributions independently, in some cases resulting in combinations of
co-occurring species that have not been seen before. These novel (or
?no-analog?) communities may disrupt complex webs of species interactions,
with unanticipated consequences for species and ecosystems.
 
 ?We were surprised to see such a wide range of responses across the
species we studied.  We know that many species may shift their
distributions in response to climate change, but these results suggest that
the cumulative effect on community composition may be of equal or greater
importance,? according to the study?s lead author, Diana Stralberg, PRBO
Landscape Ecologist.
 
Researchers at PRBO Conservation Science, in collaboration with Stanford
University, UC Santa Cruz, and the Klamath Bird Observatory, took advantage
of a wealth of bird survey data and newly refined regional climate model
projections for California to project current and potential future
statewide distributions for 60 relatively common bird species. A few
species, primarily those associated with coniferous forests, were projected
to shift their distributions upslope in similar ways as the climate
changes.  But other species that often occur together were projected to
shift in very different ways, resulting in novel species assemblages. 
Individual species maps may be viewed online at www.prbo.org/cadc (click on
the ?where will the birds be? banner on the front page).
 
Dr. John Wiens, PRBO?s Chief Conservation Science Officer and a co-author
of the novel study said, ?This is more than just an interesting finding
about birds.  Birds are nature?s barometers. If birds occur in different
combinations in the future, it?s likely that other organisms such as
insects and plants will as well.  The reshuffling of bird assemblages that
we project may just be the tip of the iceberg.? 
 
Using PRBO?s science to project the effects of climate change on birds into
the future has implications for how our ecosystems are conserved, managed
and restored today.  New and novel approaches will be needed to manage and
conserve biodiversity.  Single-species approaches will not work well in the
context of rapidly-changing climate and ecological communities.  Long-term
ecological monitoring, flexible management strategies, and frequent
communication between scientists, managers, and decision-makers will be
needed more than ever.  
 
Dr. Terry Root of Stanford University and another co-author of the
publication explained, ?We know climate disruption will result in major
ecological surprises. This work provides yet another wake-up call to
scientists, managers and the public struggling with managing biodiversity
in the face of rapid environmental change.?
 
--------------------


About PRBO Conservation Science:
 
PRBO Conservation Science, founded as Point Reyes Bird Observatory in 1965,
works to conserve birds, other wildlife and ecosystems through innovative
scientific research and outreach.  We partner with hundreds of governmental
and non-governmental agencies as well as private interests to ensure that
every dollar invested in conservation yields the most for biodiversity --
benefiting our environment, our economy and our communities.  Visit PRBO on
the web at www.prbo.org. 
 
 William P. Mueller
Milwaukee
(414) 698-9108
E-mail: iltlawas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On the web: http://home.earthlink.net/~iltlawas/
Blog: http://bluebirdslaugh.blogspot.com

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[wisb] Changes in California's Bird Communities Due to Climate Change

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