Laura Thompson, Ph.D.
Laura Thompson is a Research Ecologist with the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC). Her research focuses on responses of terrestrial species to changes in climate. The purpose of her research is to provide the management community with science-based information that can assist with decision making regarding adaptation options.
Laura received her Ph.D. in Environmental and Life Sciences at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario where she studied historical and contemporary genetic patterns of woodland caribou in the boreal forest regions of Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Laura also holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her current research focuses on three themes:
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The ability of species to abate the impacts of climate change (“adaptive capacity”)
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Incorporating evolutionary considerations into climate adaptation
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Uncertainty of climate change impacts and use of decision-support techniques
In addition to the projects listed below, Laura is serving as an author with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) on the Americas Assessment. She also is serving as an author on the Fourth National Climate Assessment’s (NCA) chapter on biodiversity.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 19
Webinar: What is Ecological Drought? Exploring Its Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
View this webinar to learn how scientists are working to identify the ecological impacts of drought.
Adaptive Capacity: The Linchpin for Understanding and Addressing Species Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts
Different species have different ways of coping with changing climate conditions. Some species may move to more-favorable habitats, others may change their behavior (such as by shifting their diets), and still others may change the timing of life-cycle events (such as migration). The ability of a species to accommodate changing conditions is known as its “adaptive capacity”...
Moose Health in a Changing Environment
There have been increasing concerns regarding the decline in moose numbers along the southern range of their North American distribution. This has prompted varied research efforts to determine the factors contributing to the reduced local populations. Although heat stress from increasing temperatures could be a potential factor for declining populations in Minnesota, temperature...
Can Evolution Help Wildlife Adapt to Climate Change? Exploring Evolutionary Adaptive Capacity (EVAC) and Bridging the Gap between Science and Management
Assessing the vulnerability of wildlife species to a changing climate is critical for understanding what adaptation actions need to be taken to minimize negative impacts. The ability of species to adapt to the impacts of climate change (i.e., their adaptive capacity) is an important factor to consider when assessing vulnerability. For example, organisms can possess traits that allow them...
Evaluating Adaptations of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Climate Change in the Southwestern U.S.
In the southwestern U.S., climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme droughts and cause an overall decrease in precipitation and increase in temperatures. These changes could impact a wide range of species in the region, even those adapted to living in arid environments. It’s possible that some species may be able to adapt to changing conditions by migrating to new...
Climate, the Boreal Forest, and Moose: A Pilot Project for Scenario Planning to Inform Land and Wildlife Management
Scenario planning is one decision support method that can help natural resource managers incorporate information about uncertain future changes in climate into management decisions. To provide a proof of concept of the value of scenario planning in helping managers prepare for climate change, we conducted a pilot scenario planning effort aimed at helping state agencies in the...
Development of the Climate Registry for the Assessment of Vulnerability (CRAVe): A Searchable, Public Online Tool for Understanding Species and Habitat Vulnerability
The USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC), as part of the work of the Interagency Land Management Adaptation Group (ILMAG), initiated a project in 2013 to develop plans for a searchable, public registry on climate change vulnerability assessments. Member agencies from the USGCRP Adaptation Science Work Group, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA...
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 19
Webinar: What is Ecological Drought? Exploring Its Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
View this webinar to learn how scientists are working to identify the ecological impacts of drought.
Adaptive Capacity: The Linchpin for Understanding and Addressing Species Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts
Different species have different ways of coping with changing climate conditions. Some species may move to more-favorable habitats, others may change their behavior (such as by shifting their diets), and still others may change the timing of life-cycle events (such as migration). The ability of a species to accommodate changing conditions is known as its “adaptive capacity”...
Moose Health in a Changing Environment
There have been increasing concerns regarding the decline in moose numbers along the southern range of their North American distribution. This has prompted varied research efforts to determine the factors contributing to the reduced local populations. Although heat stress from increasing temperatures could be a potential factor for declining populations in Minnesota, temperature...
Can Evolution Help Wildlife Adapt to Climate Change? Exploring Evolutionary Adaptive Capacity (EVAC) and Bridging the Gap between Science and Management
Assessing the vulnerability of wildlife species to a changing climate is critical for understanding what adaptation actions need to be taken to minimize negative impacts. The ability of species to adapt to the impacts of climate change (i.e., their adaptive capacity) is an important factor to consider when assessing vulnerability. For example, organisms can possess traits that allow them...
Evaluating Adaptations of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Climate Change in the Southwestern U.S.
In the southwestern U.S., climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme droughts and cause an overall decrease in precipitation and increase in temperatures. These changes could impact a wide range of species in the region, even those adapted to living in arid environments. It’s possible that some species may be able to adapt to changing conditions by migrating to new...
Climate, the Boreal Forest, and Moose: A Pilot Project for Scenario Planning to Inform Land and Wildlife Management
Scenario planning is one decision support method that can help natural resource managers incorporate information about uncertain future changes in climate into management decisions. To provide a proof of concept of the value of scenario planning in helping managers prepare for climate change, we conducted a pilot scenario planning effort aimed at helping state agencies in the...
Development of the Climate Registry for the Assessment of Vulnerability (CRAVe): A Searchable, Public Online Tool for Understanding Species and Habitat Vulnerability
The USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC), as part of the work of the Interagency Land Management Adaptation Group (ILMAG), initiated a project in 2013 to develop plans for a searchable, public registry on climate change vulnerability assessments. Member agencies from the USGCRP Adaptation Science Work Group, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA...