Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

State of the Science

The ability of resource managers, decision makers, and communities to adapt to climate change depends on access to up-to-date and useable climate science. CASC scientists work to collect and synthesize the state of the science on key issues of importance to partners, such as how climate change is affecting species range shifts or the effects of climate on inland fisheries. Learn more below.

Filter Total Items: 198

NW CASC Actionable Science Webinars: Actionable Science Approaches and Findings

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) offers both regular skills-building webinar series and individual applied science webinars. NW CASC’s applied science webinars cover a range of topics and lessons learned from NW CASC-funded projects, while its skills-building webinar series are designed to promote a deeper understanding of actionable science approaches by emphasizing the p
link

NW CASC Actionable Science Webinars: Actionable Science Approaches and Findings

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) offers both regular skills-building webinar series and individual applied science webinars. NW CASC’s applied science webinars cover a range of topics and lessons learned from NW CASC-funded projects, while its skills-building webinar series are designed to promote a deeper understanding of actionable science approaches by emphasizing the p
Learn More

NW CASC Deep Dives: Actionable Science Agendas for Emerging Climate Risks

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) organizes an annual Deep Dive into an emerging climate risk. The NW CASC convenes researchers, practitioners and students to assess the state of knowledge and practice associated with managing that risk. Each Deep Dive aims to facilitate community development of an Actionable Science Agenda that outlines knowledge gaps and research needs an
link

NW CASC Deep Dives: Actionable Science Agendas for Emerging Climate Risks

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) organizes an annual Deep Dive into an emerging climate risk. The NW CASC convenes researchers, practitioners and students to assess the state of knowledge and practice associated with managing that risk. Each Deep Dive aims to facilitate community development of an Actionable Science Agenda that outlines knowledge gaps and research needs an
Learn More

NW CASC Research Consortium Partners: Leveraging Regional Research Capacity & Expertise

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) is hosted by the University of Washington on behalf of a multi-university consortium, enabling the federal government and Northwest natural and cultural resource managers to leverage the research capacity, expertise and infrastructure of public agencies and universities across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana. Each NW CASC Cons
link

NW CASC Research Consortium Partners: Leveraging Regional Research Capacity & Expertise

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) is hosted by the University of Washington on behalf of a multi-university consortium, enabling the federal government and Northwest natural and cultural resource managers to leverage the research capacity, expertise and infrastructure of public agencies and universities across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana. Each NW CASC Cons
Learn More

SE CASC Working Groups

Consortium Principal Investigators lead Working Groups on a variety of global change topics that draw on their scientific strengths and interests. The Working Groups bring together multi-disciplinary teams of academics, USGS staff, Tribal Nations, representatives from state agencies, other stakeholders, and students to address regionally-relevant emerging issues and to develop syntheses of topics
link

SE CASC Working Groups

Consortium Principal Investigators lead Working Groups on a variety of global change topics that draw on their scientific strengths and interests. The Working Groups bring together multi-disciplinary teams of academics, USGS staff, Tribal Nations, representatives from state agencies, other stakeholders, and students to address regionally-relevant emerging issues and to develop syntheses of topics
Learn More

Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center Consortium - Hosted by North Carolina State University (2017-2023)

The Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC) promotes collaborative research, with a focus on training next-generation scientists through active engagement with stakeholders and agencies, to enhance landscape-level conservation and management of natural and cultural resources. The SE CASC is hosted by North Carolina State University (NCSU) with consortium partners Duke University, Aub
link

Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center Consortium - Hosted by North Carolina State University (2017-2023)

The Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC) promotes collaborative research, with a focus on training next-generation scientists through active engagement with stakeholders and agencies, to enhance landscape-level conservation and management of natural and cultural resources. The SE CASC is hosted by North Carolina State University (NCSU) with consortium partners Duke University, Aub
Learn More

Spoilt for Choice: A Review and Evaluation of Downscaled Climate Data for the Pacific Northwest

In order to assess and understand the potential impacts of climate change on important natural resources, managers, planners, and decision-makers need climate information at a local or regional scale. In general, Global Climate Models (GCMs) provide data at coarser scales than most natural resource managers need but Regional Climate Models (RCMs) are starting to deliver finer scale results. The pr
link

Spoilt for Choice: A Review and Evaluation of Downscaled Climate Data for the Pacific Northwest

In order to assess and understand the potential impacts of climate change on important natural resources, managers, planners, and decision-makers need climate information at a local or regional scale. In general, Global Climate Models (GCMs) provide data at coarser scales than most natural resource managers need but Regional Climate Models (RCMs) are starting to deliver finer scale results. The pr
Learn More

Support for the 2017 Idaho Climate Summit

The 2017 Idaho Climate Summit - Safeguarding Idaho’s Economy in a Changing Climate: Our Water, Our Land, Our Health, Our Future was a two-day conversation about Idaho’s changing climate led by businesses, resource and land managers, Idaho tribes and tribal organizations, researchers, public interest organizations, community members, and government officials. The summit explored market-based soluti
link

Support for the 2017 Idaho Climate Summit

The 2017 Idaho Climate Summit - Safeguarding Idaho’s Economy in a Changing Climate: Our Water, Our Land, Our Health, Our Future was a two-day conversation about Idaho’s changing climate led by businesses, resource and land managers, Idaho tribes and tribal organizations, researchers, public interest organizations, community members, and government officials. The summit explored market-based soluti
Learn More

Support for the Eighth Annual Northwest Climate Conference

The Northwest Climate Conference annually brings together researchers and practitioners from around the Pacific Northwest to discuss scientific results, challenges, and solutions related to climate impacts on people, natural resources, and infrastructure in the region. It is the region's premier opportunity for a cross-disciplinary exchange of knowledge and ideas about regional climate, climate im
link

Support for the Eighth Annual Northwest Climate Conference

The Northwest Climate Conference annually brings together researchers and practitioners from around the Pacific Northwest to discuss scientific results, challenges, and solutions related to climate impacts on people, natural resources, and infrastructure in the region. It is the region's premier opportunity for a cross-disciplinary exchange of knowledge and ideas about regional climate, climate im
Learn More

The Impacts of Climate Change on Phenology: A Synthesis and Path Forward for Adaptive Management in the Pacific Northwest

Phenology, or the timing of the annual cycles of plants and animals, is extremely sensitive to changes in climate. We know that plants and animals may adjust the timing of certain phenological events, such as tree flowering or migration, based on changes in weather. However, it’s important that we also understand how the timing of phenological events is changing over longer time frames, as climate
link

The Impacts of Climate Change on Phenology: A Synthesis and Path Forward for Adaptive Management in the Pacific Northwest

Phenology, or the timing of the annual cycles of plants and animals, is extremely sensitive to changes in climate. We know that plants and animals may adjust the timing of certain phenological events, such as tree flowering or migration, based on changes in weather. However, it’s important that we also understand how the timing of phenological events is changing over longer time frames, as climate
Learn More

A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Arctic Alaska

Communities, resource managers, and decision makers in Arctic Alaska are in need of scientific information to base important decisions related to anticipating and adapting to changes in temperature and precipitation. Since its inception in 2011, the Alaska Climate Science Center (AK CSC) and its partners have produced a variety of scientific products and datasets aimed at supporting this need and
link

A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Arctic Alaska

Communities, resource managers, and decision makers in Arctic Alaska are in need of scientific information to base important decisions related to anticipating and adapting to changes in temperature and precipitation. Since its inception in 2011, the Alaska Climate Science Center (AK CSC) and its partners have produced a variety of scientific products and datasets aimed at supporting this need and
Learn More

Assessing Southwest Resources, Future Climate Scenarios, and Possible Adaptation Actions to Support Conservation Planning

Changes in temperature and precipitation due to climate change (and associated droughts, wildfires, extreme storms etc.) threaten important water sources, forests, wildlife habitat, and ecosystems across the Southwest and throughout the entire U.S. These threats cross political and man-made boundaries and therefore need to be addressed at larger landscape-level and regional scales. “Landscape cons
link

Assessing Southwest Resources, Future Climate Scenarios, and Possible Adaptation Actions to Support Conservation Planning

Changes in temperature and precipitation due to climate change (and associated droughts, wildfires, extreme storms etc.) threaten important water sources, forests, wildlife habitat, and ecosystems across the Southwest and throughout the entire U.S. These threats cross political and man-made boundaries and therefore need to be addressed at larger landscape-level and regional scales. “Landscape cons
Learn More

Assessing the Use of Biochar for Drought Resilience and Crop Productivity

Climate change impacts on water resources in the Pacific Northwest are predicted to have transformational effects on agriculture. Loss of winter snow pack, reduced summer stream flows, and increased summer temperatures are all phenomena that have already been observed, and are expected to worsen over this century. Research is ongoing in the Northwest to understand agriculture practices that might
link

Assessing the Use of Biochar for Drought Resilience and Crop Productivity

Climate change impacts on water resources in the Pacific Northwest are predicted to have transformational effects on agriculture. Loss of winter snow pack, reduced summer stream flows, and increased summer temperatures are all phenomena that have already been observed, and are expected to worsen over this century. Research is ongoing in the Northwest to understand agriculture practices that might
Learn More