Transcript Fish and Climate Change Climate Change Vulnerability Analysis

Fish and Climate Change
Climate Change Vulnerability Analysis
Lauren Wyman
Environmental Defense Fund
Dr. Stacy Small
What Is...
...the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI)?
A way to understand how climate change may impact
species using life history traits and GIS data
But First...
We Need To Understand How Climate Change
May Shape the Midwest’s Climate in the Coming
Years:
Warmer water temperatures
More summer droughts
More spring flooding
Murkier water
So, how will fish fare in response to
these changes?
Let’s take an example.
LAKE STURGEON
Moderately vulnerable
Barriers:
Dams in range
Dispersal:
Long distance migrant
Thermal Niche:
Cool water
Turbidity Tolerance:
Need Clear Water
Final Results
Patterns
•
EV: species specialists. Cold water
fish, spawn in shallow water,
intolerant to turbidity
•
HV: cool/cold water fish, spawn in
shallow habitats
•
MV: cool water fish, spawn in
shallow habitats, better dispersal
•
PS: tolerant to turbidity and warm
water
•
IL: species generalists. Thrive in
turbidity, thrive in warm water, great
dispersal. Many invasive species
Importance
To conserve an ecosystem we
must first know what to
conserve
Special Thanks To...
Dr. Stacy Small-Lorenz
Lorin Romeo-Romay
Stacey Christiansen
PEI Team
The Environmental Defense Fund. All of it.