ASSESSING CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY OF CALIFORNIA'S VEGETATION: RESEARCH RESULTS AND APPLICATION TO CONSERVATION PLANNING

Whitney L Albright; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; Whitney.Albright@wildlife.ca.gov; Jim H. Thorne, Ryan M. Boynton, Andrew J. Holguin, Jacquelyn Bjorkman

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recognizes that climate change is a major challenge to the conservation of California's natural resources and is taking an active role in planning for and responding to this challenge. Effectively addressing climate change requires an understanding of the major risks that it poses to fish, wildlife, and habitats in California. In 2015, in association with the State Wildlife Action Plan update, CDFW partnered with the University of California, Davis to assess the vulnerability of natural vegetative communities state-wide to climate change. Vulnerability was determined by using a detailed map of the spatial patterns of California's vegetation community types, and examining how climate conditions will change at those locations. Sixteen of 29 natural vegetation community types in California were found to be highly or nearly highly vulnerable to four alternate projected climates by the end of this century. Efforts are currently underway to incorporate the results of this study into CDFW conservation planning activities. Utilizing the best available science for climate adaptation planning will help to ensure successful conservation and management of California's valued natural resources.

Policy, Management, and Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management