Catherine (Kasia) A. Nikiel, Ph.D.
Catherine Nikiel is a Climate Adaptation Service Scientist with the Climate Adaptation Technical Services (CATS) initiative of the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center.
Catherine Nikiel is a Climate Adaptation Service Scientist with the Climate Adaptation Technical Services program in the National Climate Adaptation Science Center, supporting the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. She works to provide tailored science to help departmental partners incorporate climate adaptation science into planning and decision making. Previously she was a Climate Impacts Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Research Participation Program administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). Through her education and post-doctoral work she has explored land-use/land-cover change impacts, water availability trends, drought, heat stress, and future hydrology, as well as best practices for accurate and actionable use and presentation of data.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Hydrology and Climate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS in Civil Engineering, Rice University
Science and Products
Potential effects of sea level rise and high tide flooding on Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis (eastern black rail) coastal breeding areas
Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis (eastern black rails; Gmelin, 1789) are facing increasing risk from flooding in coastal breeding habitats because of rising sea levels combined with standard high tide flooding. In this report, we examine regional differences in relative rates of sea level rise, days in the breeding season above historical high tide flooding thresholds, future...
Authors
Catherine A. Nikiel, Marta P. Lyons
Approaches for using CMIP projections in climate model ensembles to address the ‘hot model’ problem
Several recent generation global-climate models were found to have anomalously high climate sensitivities and may not be useful for certain applications. Four approaches for developing ensembles of climate projections for applications that address this issue are:Using an “all models” approach;Screening using equilibrium climate sensitivity and (or) transient climate response;Bayesian...
Authors
Ryan Boyles, Catherine A. Nikiel, Brian W. Miller, Jeremy Littell, Adam J. Terando, Imtiaz Rangwala, Jay R. Alder, Derek H. Rosendahl, Adrienne M. Wootten
Potential effects of climate change on Acipenser fulvescens (lake sturgeon)
Acipenser fulvescens (Rafinesque, 1817; lake sturgeon) are the only sturgeon species native to the Great Lakes region and are threatened across most of their range. They are historically vulnerable because of overfishing and habitat fragmentation with the potential for climate change acting as an increasing stressor in the future. Lake sturgeon span multiple habitats during their long...
Authors
Holly S. Embke, Catherine A. Nikiel, Marta P. Lyons
Potential effects of climate change on Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding’s turtle)
Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook, 1838; Blanding’s turtles) are a species of medium-sized, long-lived, semiaquatic, freshwater turtles with a wide distribution across the northern and eastern United States and southern Canada. They have an annual activity cycle consisting of late autumn and winter overwintering and spring emergence, spring movement and foraging, spring and summer nesting...
Authors
Marta P. Lyons, Catherine A. Nikiel, Olivia E. LeDee, Ryan P. Boyles
Potential effects of climate change on Appalachian stoneflies (Remenus kirchneri, Acroneuria kosztarabi, and Tallaperla lobata)
Plecoptera (stoneflies) are an order of insects where most species rely on clean, fast-moving freshwater for an aquatic larval stage followed by a short terrestrial adult stage. Most species of Plecoptera seem to be restricted to specific stream types and thermal regimes. Climate-driven changes are likely to alter stream temperatures and flow, resulting in physiological stress, reduced...
Authors
Marta P. Lyons, Catherine A. Nikiel, Olivia E. LeDee, Ryan P. Boyles
Science and Products
Potential effects of sea level rise and high tide flooding on Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis (eastern black rail) coastal breeding areas
Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis (eastern black rails; Gmelin, 1789) are facing increasing risk from flooding in coastal breeding habitats because of rising sea levels combined with standard high tide flooding. In this report, we examine regional differences in relative rates of sea level rise, days in the breeding season above historical high tide flooding thresholds, future...
Authors
Catherine A. Nikiel, Marta P. Lyons
Approaches for using CMIP projections in climate model ensembles to address the ‘hot model’ problem
Several recent generation global-climate models were found to have anomalously high climate sensitivities and may not be useful for certain applications. Four approaches for developing ensembles of climate projections for applications that address this issue are:Using an “all models” approach;Screening using equilibrium climate sensitivity and (or) transient climate response;Bayesian...
Authors
Ryan Boyles, Catherine A. Nikiel, Brian W. Miller, Jeremy Littell, Adam J. Terando, Imtiaz Rangwala, Jay R. Alder, Derek H. Rosendahl, Adrienne M. Wootten
Potential effects of climate change on Acipenser fulvescens (lake sturgeon)
Acipenser fulvescens (Rafinesque, 1817; lake sturgeon) are the only sturgeon species native to the Great Lakes region and are threatened across most of their range. They are historically vulnerable because of overfishing and habitat fragmentation with the potential for climate change acting as an increasing stressor in the future. Lake sturgeon span multiple habitats during their long...
Authors
Holly S. Embke, Catherine A. Nikiel, Marta P. Lyons
Potential effects of climate change on Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding’s turtle)
Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook, 1838; Blanding’s turtles) are a species of medium-sized, long-lived, semiaquatic, freshwater turtles with a wide distribution across the northern and eastern United States and southern Canada. They have an annual activity cycle consisting of late autumn and winter overwintering and spring emergence, spring movement and foraging, spring and summer nesting...
Authors
Marta P. Lyons, Catherine A. Nikiel, Olivia E. LeDee, Ryan P. Boyles
Potential effects of climate change on Appalachian stoneflies (Remenus kirchneri, Acroneuria kosztarabi, and Tallaperla lobata)
Plecoptera (stoneflies) are an order of insects where most species rely on clean, fast-moving freshwater for an aquatic larval stage followed by a short terrestrial adult stage. Most species of Plecoptera seem to be restricted to specific stream types and thermal regimes. Climate-driven changes are likely to alter stream temperatures and flow, resulting in physiological stress, reduced...
Authors
Marta P. Lyons, Catherine A. Nikiel, Olivia E. LeDee, Ryan P. Boyles