July 9 – Webinar: Can Camouflage Keep up with Climate Change? Connecting Downscaled Climate Models to Adaptation for a Key Forest Species

Project Summary:
Existing high resolution climate models have not yet specifically connected ecologically relevant downscaled climate drivers to on-the-ground responses for wildlife species. This project uniquely addresses, in a comprehensive package, the linkage between downscaled, high-resolution climate models and the consequences of specific climate drivers on species and ecosystem-level adaptation. Snowshoe hares are the high-profile prey of the Federally Threatened Canada Lynx; in fact, hares are critical players in forest ecosystems, because most carnivores prey on them. Like many other species in temperate ecosystems (e.g. arctic foxes, weasels, ptarmigan), hares undergo a seasonal coat color molt to match the presence or absence of snow. Because a reduced duration of snowpack is the strongest signal of climate change in temperate regions, and because mismatch (white coat on non-snowy background) is likely to lead to high predation-induced mortality, the climate factors that make this species vulnerable to rapid decline are starkly clear. On the other hand, any species may respond to climate change by adapting or moving. This project provided wildlife managers with the first case study to connect field measurements of responses (adapt, move, or decline) to downscaled climate maps at ecologically relevant scales.