Sea Level Rise

As climate change drives sea levels higher, coastal species and habitats may adapt by migrating inland. This landward shift may be challenged, however, by the presence of human-made and natural barriers, which may result in coastal habitat loss and declines in associated fish and wildlife populations. This is commonly known as ‘coastal squeeze’. To support the resilience of Northwest...

Project Overview: The San Pablo Baylands support critical wildlife habitat and major transportation infrastructure, but the combined effects of sea-level rise and planned highway redesigns on habitat and public access remain uncertain. Scientists supported by this Southwest CASC project will work with federal, state, and regional managers to fill key data gaps and model how sea-level...

Rising sea levels and frequent intense storms are rapidly changing Northeastern US coastal landscapes and threatening the vital ecosystem services they provide. Researchers supported by this Northeast CASC project will use landscape models, co-developed with coastal managers and tribal managers, to predict expected coastal changes for different environments (e.g., beaches, wetlands...

Project Overview Wetlands along the Gulf Coast are crucial for reducing hurricane-induced flooding and as habitat for diverse wildlife, but are threatened by rising sea levels, climate change, and coastal development. Using remote sensing data, future climate data, and numerical models, researchers from this South Central CASC-supported project will collaborate with local expert groups...

Project Overview Coastal marshes in the Gulf of America host diverse ecological communities and hold Native American cultural artifacts within shell mounds (middens). However, both are vulnerable to erosion and submergence due to rising sea levels and more frequent severe storms. Researchers supported by this Southeast CASC project will develop a risk-assessment tool to evaluate the...

The US Virgin Islands are vulnerable to sea level rise, intense storms, and unpredictable rainfall brought by climate change. These changes influence the health of freshwater streams (known as “ghuts”), sedimentation, erosion and water quality (“grit”), as well as aquatic communities and ecosystems (“gills”) that are unique to the islands and important for indigenous peoples’ heritage...

Project Overview Hawaiian honeycreepers face numerous threats related to sea level rise, increasing storm frequency, erosion and invasive species. These impacts can alter their habitat, making it unsuitable and detrimental to their already small populations. Researchers supported by this Pacific Islands CASC project will create additional populations of a Hawaiian honeycreeper species by

Project Overview The James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge in Hawai’i provides important wetland habitats for four species of endangered waterbirds. However, due to invasive species and climate change impacts, these habitats are becoming unsuitable for the fledging and longevity of these birds. Researchers supported by this Pacific Islands CASC project will examine the effectiveness of

Project Overview Atolls in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans are experiencing significant changes to their landscapes and biodiversity due to climate change. Researchers supported by this Pacific Islands CASC will use historical data to study a 50+ year window of change in both islet size and the occurrence of lizard species. This work will better inform lizard distribution in light...

Loko iʻa, Hawaiian fishponds, are part of a rich history of indigenous aquaculture dating back to the 1400s. These unique ecosystems serve as key models of food sustainability across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. Hawaiʻi, among the most geographically isolated regions throughout the world, currently faces many challenges including environmental uncertainties, increasing urbanization, a...

Coastal wetland loss is a serious concern along the northern Gulf of America, especially in Texas and Louisiana where rates of wetland loss and relative sea-level rise are among the highest in the world, extreme storms are becoming more frequent, and flooding events are intensifying. Because coastal wetlands of the northern Gulf Coast provide numerous ecosystem services, including...

Steep, mountainous watersheds, dramatic climate gradients, and tight links between the land and sea are common features of both the Pacific Islands and Southeast Alaska. In these "ridge-to-reef" and “icefield-to-ocean" ecosystems, environmental changes that occur at higher elevations have downstream impacts on the waters below. Today, these two ecosystems are undergoing changes in...