DOI Climate Science Centers

Kim Winton, Ph.D. DirectorUSGS, South Central Climate Science Center, Department of the InteriorPresentation for: GCPO June 4, 2013

Today’s Talk

Creation of the DOI CSCs

The SC CSC

Consortium

Stakeholder Advisory Council (SAC) and

Science Implementation Panel (SIP)

2012 Funded Projects

2013 funded projects

2014 RFP and Timeline

Working Together

Creation of the DOI

CSCs

Who is served by the CSCs?

• Key partners include resource managers at the tribal, federal, regional, state, and local level.

• Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: • Also created as part of Secretarial Order 3289• An institutional means for connecting the

CSCs and management partners

DOI Climate Science Centers….A New Paradigm

• Linking Physical, Biological, and Social Science

• Scenario/Forecasts of Future Possibilities

• Link Research, Modeling, Synthesis, and Monitoring in a Landscape/System Perspective

• Science Collaboration/Resource Management Collaboration (LCC partners)

• Stakeholders set priorities/Provide Review & Feedback (LCC s critical in this step)

• Share Data and Information (w/ LCCs)

DOI CSC Structure & Function• USGS Science Center

• Host University - Consortium

• Stakeholder Advisory Council (SAC) (LCC Coordinators)

• Science Implementation Panel (SIP) (LCC Science Coordinators)

• Science Agenda and Science Plan

• Government to Government Consultation

DOI Climate Science Centers

• 8 DOI Climate Science Centers Nationwide

• Fuzzy Boundaries

• Multiple LCCs per CSC

• Science-based

6 LCCs associated with the SC CSC

• Desert

• Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Big Rivers

• Great Plains

• Gulf Coast Prairie

• Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks

• Southern Rockies

Invitation for formal consultation from Regional Director (Dr. Randy Updike).

In addition other mechanisms of input and participation/communication SAC – 2 to 3 elected tribal leaders; SIP representation (Environmental

Director) LCC s - participating in tribal

workshop project

Tribal Consultation

SAC development Federal Regional leaders (i.e. FWS,

NPS, BOR) State Representation – 2-3 state agency

heads, various agency types (water, wildlife, engineering, agriculture)

LCC Coordinators (SAC) Tribes – One for NM, one for OK, KS,

TX, (note : not on SAC are the Chickasaw and Choctaw.)

SIP – LCC Science Coordinators and Tribal Env. Directors, University experts, federal experts?

SAC & SIP

2012 Funded ProjectsSecretary of the Interior Ken Salazar funding of more than $10 million awarded by Interior's 8 regional Climate Science Centers to universities or other partners for research to guide managers of parks, refuges and other resources in planning how to help species and ecosystems adapt to climate change.

2012 CSC Funded

The 69 studies at eight climate science centers focus on how climate change will affect natural resources. For example, • various projects identify how sea-level rise will affect

coastal resources, • how climate will affect vegetation, • how these changes will affect valued species, • how changes in water availability will affect both

people and ecosystems—and ecosystem services such as fisheries.

• Several studies address the potential effects on resources of concern to Native Americans, some by using traditional ecological knowledge to advance adaptation planning.

2012 SC CSC FundedTerrestrial Connectivity across the South Central United States: Implications for the Sustainability of Wildlife Populations and CommunitiesPrincipal Investigator: Kristen Baum, Oklahoma State University (OSU)

Delineation of Fresh, Intermediate, Brackish, and Saline Marsh Types of the North Central Gulf of Mexico Coast Principal Investigator: Steve Hartley, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Occurrence and Variation in Submersed Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) along the Northern Gulf of Mexico: a Hierarchical Approach to Assess Impacts of Environmental Change on SAV ResourcesPrincipal Investigators: Megan La Peyre, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),

2012 SC CSC FundedExpert Workshop to Build CSC Expertise in Understanding the Social and Communication Dimensions of Climate Change Principal Investigator: Dennis Patterson, Texas Tech University (TTU)

Evaluating the Assumption of Stationarity in Statistical Downscaling Applications Principal Investigators: Katharine Hayhoe, Texas Tech University, and Keith Dixon and John Lanzante, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory

2012 SC CSC Funded

Synthesizing Ecohydrology Models as a Management Tool for Landscape Conservation under Climate Change Principal Investigator: Shannon Brewer, Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unithttp://www.doi.gov/csc/upload/FY12_CSC_Funded_Projects_for_Release_10-1-12FINAL.pdf

Title: Modeling the effects of environmental change on crucial wildlife habitat.

Dr. Colleen Caldwell/Ken Boykin, - USGS NM Coop Unit, & Keith Dixon, NOAA-Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab

Address how future shifts in climate and land use are likely to affect the distribution of important species and habitat. Develop web-based viewer for NM and interface with Western Governors’ Association “Crucial Habitat Assessment Tools (CHAT)2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

Ecosystem Stress Response Function of Climate Change for the Arkansas-Red River Basin

Trevor Grout, USGS, Oklahoma Water Science Center & Vieux at OU & Brewer OSU & Brown ODWC.

Use radar data to model rainfall/runoff and evaluate effects on water quality and fish habitat.

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending federal

budget)

Assessment of water availability and associated drivers for historic and future conditions in the South Central Region

Lauren Hay, USGS National Research Program & Bock CO Water Science Center (WSC ) & Ft. Collins & SD WSC & GA WSC

Produce automated method and data products that evaluate climate drivers, monthly water balance, consumptive water use.

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

                     

                        

Past Flow/Runoff

Impacts of Climate Change on Flows in the Red River Basin

Wayne Kellogg, Chickasaw Nation, & McPherson , OU & Austin, Intera, Inc.

Information to evaluate possible flow regimes and runoff in Red River basin.

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

Expanding a standardized framework for the evaluation and intercomparison of statistically downscaled climate projections.

John Lanzante, NOAA Geophysical fluid Dynamics Lab & Stoner TTU, & Balaji, Princeton & Gaitan, OU

Evaluate if downscaling relationships (historical) are applicable to future climate projections.

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

Establishing a foundation for evaluating ecological implications of climate change along a gradient in macroclimate drivers of coastal wetland ecosystems

Mike Osland, USGS Wetlands Research Center & LSU post-doc

Identify regional climate-ecological thresholds for coastal wetland ecosystems in TX, LA, MS, AL.

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

Predicting Sky Island forest vulnerability to climate change: fine scale climate variability, drought tolerance and fire response.

Dylan Schwilk TX Tech Predict how tree species

distribution shifts occur under future warmer/drier climates

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

Potential to direct fund: Application of

Structured Decision Making for Delivery of Instream Flow Ecology for Water Governance Decisions.

Elise Irwin, USGS AL Coop Unit & Pawlitz SE SC, & Davis SIFN, & Robinson SARP

Funding: SE CSC, SC CSC, GCPO and GCP LCCs?

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

Direct fund: Xue: OU, Very

high-resolution downscaling pilot

Student Workshop (per LCCs)

2013 SC CSC Funded (pending

federal budget)

2014 RFP DetailsScience Priorities for SC CSC 1. Regional physical climate variability and trends.Emphasis – drought, weather extremes, water management

2. Ecosystems and landscapes.Emphasis - fire science & drought

Reed Saxon/AP

2014 RFP DetailsScience Priorities for SC CSC :

3. Human dimensions as they relate to climate change and precipitation variability.Emphasis - how private land owners will make land management decisions in the face of climate change - Tribal adaptation strategies -Understanding Organizational Systems and Governance in Conservation Decision Making as it Relates to Climate Change, and Precipitation Variability

Consortium

Planning

Workshop(Ft. Worth, Nov 2012)

2014 RFP Details

Time LineDeadline Statements of Interest………….…………..June 25Full Proposals Invited……………….……………….…July 23Invited Full Proposals Due.............................................Aug 21Final Candidate Projects Identified ……….……..…..Oct 15

2014 RFP Details

Science Priorities for SC CSC :1. Regional physical climate variability and trends.

2. Ecosystems and landscapes.

3. Human dimensions as they relate to climate change and precipitation variability.

Thank you.

Kim Winton, Ph.D.

kwinton@usgs.gov