Climate Science Champions, Season 1: Steve Matsuoka, Research Wildlife Biologist

Research Wildlife Biologist Steve Matsuoka explores how climate change affects the reproductive success of Alaska’s diverse bird communities, which include more than 100 species that migrate to Alaska each year world to breed.

In Alaska’s boreal forest, where more than 100 species of birds arrive each summer from around the world to breed, climate change brings warmer, drier summers, increased frequency of wildfire, and declines in suitable nesting habitat—all of which can be hurdles to reproductive success. Additionally, many species face other climate-induced challenges along every stop of their migrations. Birds are considered indicators of ecosystem health; USGS researchers studying migratory birds can get a better understanding of changing environmental conditions across the diverse habitats birds use. 

Learn more about Steve Matsuoka’s work.