Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Lindsey Thurman, Ph.D.
Lindsey Thurman is a Partnerships Ecologist for the USGS Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, one of the nine regional centers that form the National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Center network.
Lindsey Thurman is a Partnerships Ecologist for the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC). She is a freshwater community ecologist with expertise in amphibian ecology and conservation. Her research currently focuses on identifying climate change refugia for stream-associated amphibian species in timber-managed landscapes. Lindsey is also leading a community of practice among agency, university and non-profit partners centered around species’ adaptive capacity (AC) in a changing climate and improving the incorporation of AC information in natural-resource management and conservation planning through training, guidance and tool development. Her role with the NW CASC is to engage with stakeholders in the region and identify needs related to climate adaptation, including strategies to enhance adaptive capacity and reduce the vulnerability of at-risk species from climate change. Prior to this position, Lindsey was an Ecologist with the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center.
Science and Products
Mapping ecohydrological headwater refugia
The Issue: Forests in the Pacific Northwest have changed substantially over the past hundred years because of logging, changing forest management methods, and climate change. These forests contain a dense network of small headwater streams that supply cold, clean water and support 52 amphibian species. These amphibians live both in the cold streams and in the cool, moist areas nearby. Natural...
Mapping Habitat Connectivity and Climate Refugia in Headwater Ecosystems to Support Amphibian Conservation
Forests in the Pacific Northwest support an extensive network of headwater streams and critical habitats for over 50 amphibian species, but face challenges from historical resource extraction, forest management, and climate change. Researchers supported by this Northwest CASC project will identify and map climate refugia to guide conservation strategies for at-risk amphibians, producing...
Developing a Next-Generation Climate Change Vulnerability Index in Support of Climate-Informed Natural-Resource Management
Project Overview Climate change threatens plants and animals across the US, making it important to have tools that can efficiently assess species’ vulnerabilities. In this project, CASC scientists and NatureServe are collaborating to update a popular Climate Change Vulnerability Index to include the latest scientific data, improved metrics, and new user-friendly technology. The tool will...
Development of a Surface Water Index of Permanence (SWIPe) Database to Assess Surface Water Availability for Ecohydrological Refugia
Surface-water availability has been identified as one of the biggest issues facing society in the 21st century. Where and when water is on the landscape can have profound impacts on the economy, wildlife behavior, recreational use, industrial practices, energy development, and many other aspects of life, society, and the environment. Projections indicate that surface-water availability...
Exploring Large Downed Wood as Post-Fire Refugia for Terrestrial Salamanders in Pacific Northwest Forests
Downed wood on the forest floor does more than provide habitat for amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. These decomposing habitat structures modify the temperature and moisture conditions in the forest itself. Inside and around downed wood, local climate conditions, or microclimates, provide wildlife with stable habitats that allow for persistence during and after wildfires. Cooler...
Evaluating Species’ Adaptive Capacity in a Changing Climate: Applications to Natural-Resource Management in the Northwestern U.S.
Natural resource managers are confronted with the pressing challenge to develop conservation plans that address complex ecological and societal needs against the backdrop of a rapidly changing climate. Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) provide valuable information that helps guide management and conservation actions in this regard. An essential component to CCVAs is...
Adaptive Capacity: the linchpin for understanding and addressing species vulnerability to climate-change impacts
When prioritizing natural resource management activities, managers need to understand how plant and animal species differ in terms of their vulnerability to variation in environmental conditions caused by climate change. Species vulnerability to climate change is controlled by (1) exposure to changing environmental conditions, (2) sensitivity to direct and indirect effects of those changing...
Climate Science Champions Season 3: Lindsey Thurman, Partnerships Ecologist
Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Climate Science Champions Season 3: Lindsey Thurman, Partnerships Ecologist (AD)
Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Pacific Northwest Headwater Stream
A small headwater stream forms whitewater cascades in the forested Pacific Northwest.
A small headwater stream forms whitewater cascades in the forested Pacific Northwest.
Mossy Pacific Northwest Headwater Stream
A headwater stream tumbles through a moss and fern filled ravine in the Pacific Norwest.
A headwater stream tumbles through a moss and fern filled ravine in the Pacific Norwest.
Science and Products
Mapping ecohydrological headwater refugia
The Issue: Forests in the Pacific Northwest have changed substantially over the past hundred years because of logging, changing forest management methods, and climate change. These forests contain a dense network of small headwater streams that supply cold, clean water and support 52 amphibian species. These amphibians live both in the cold streams and in the cool, moist areas nearby. Natural...
Mapping Habitat Connectivity and Climate Refugia in Headwater Ecosystems to Support Amphibian Conservation
Forests in the Pacific Northwest support an extensive network of headwater streams and critical habitats for over 50 amphibian species, but face challenges from historical resource extraction, forest management, and climate change. Researchers supported by this Northwest CASC project will identify and map climate refugia to guide conservation strategies for at-risk amphibians, producing...
Developing a Next-Generation Climate Change Vulnerability Index in Support of Climate-Informed Natural-Resource Management
Project Overview Climate change threatens plants and animals across the US, making it important to have tools that can efficiently assess species’ vulnerabilities. In this project, CASC scientists and NatureServe are collaborating to update a popular Climate Change Vulnerability Index to include the latest scientific data, improved metrics, and new user-friendly technology. The tool will...
Development of a Surface Water Index of Permanence (SWIPe) Database to Assess Surface Water Availability for Ecohydrological Refugia
Surface-water availability has been identified as one of the biggest issues facing society in the 21st century. Where and when water is on the landscape can have profound impacts on the economy, wildlife behavior, recreational use, industrial practices, energy development, and many other aspects of life, society, and the environment. Projections indicate that surface-water availability...
Exploring Large Downed Wood as Post-Fire Refugia for Terrestrial Salamanders in Pacific Northwest Forests
Downed wood on the forest floor does more than provide habitat for amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. These decomposing habitat structures modify the temperature and moisture conditions in the forest itself. Inside and around downed wood, local climate conditions, or microclimates, provide wildlife with stable habitats that allow for persistence during and after wildfires. Cooler...
Evaluating Species’ Adaptive Capacity in a Changing Climate: Applications to Natural-Resource Management in the Northwestern U.S.
Natural resource managers are confronted with the pressing challenge to develop conservation plans that address complex ecological and societal needs against the backdrop of a rapidly changing climate. Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) provide valuable information that helps guide management and conservation actions in this regard. An essential component to CCVAs is...
Adaptive Capacity: the linchpin for understanding and addressing species vulnerability to climate-change impacts
When prioritizing natural resource management activities, managers need to understand how plant and animal species differ in terms of their vulnerability to variation in environmental conditions caused by climate change. Species vulnerability to climate change is controlled by (1) exposure to changing environmental conditions, (2) sensitivity to direct and indirect effects of those changing...
Climate Science Champions Season 3: Lindsey Thurman, Partnerships Ecologist
Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Climate Science Champions Season 3: Lindsey Thurman, Partnerships Ecologist (AD)
Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Partnerships Ecologist Lindsey Thurman explores how climate change impacts amphibians in the Northwest, looking to understand the traits that allow species to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Pacific Northwest Headwater Stream
A small headwater stream forms whitewater cascades in the forested Pacific Northwest.
A small headwater stream forms whitewater cascades in the forested Pacific Northwest.
Mossy Pacific Northwest Headwater Stream
A headwater stream tumbles through a moss and fern filled ravine in the Pacific Norwest.
A headwater stream tumbles through a moss and fern filled ravine in the Pacific Norwest.