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Author: Adrienne M. Marshall Publisher: ISBN: Category : Climatic changes Languages : en Pages : 330
Book Description
Throughout the western United States, seasonal snowpack is critical for water resources timing and availability and ecosystem function. Warming temperatures associated with climate change reduce snow accumulation and advance melt timing, with serious consequences for snow-dependent social and ecological systems. While many impacts of climate change on snowpack are well established, this dissertation investigates several elements of changing snowpack that have not been previously assessed. In particular, each chapter contributes to an improved understanding of the changing heterogeneity of snow under climate change. The first chapter tests the sensitivity of snow drifting to altered climate, using a physically-based hydrologic model and thirty years of hydroclimatological data at a site where aspen stands are subsidized by a wind-driven snow drift. We find a warming-induced reduction in snow drifting, increase in ecohydrologic homogeneity across the landscape, and altered interannual variability of hydrologic metrics. The second chapter assesses changes in interannual variability of snowpack magnitude and timing across the western United States, using downscaled global climate model data as forcing to the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. We find that changes in interannual variability are spatially heterogeneous across the western U.S., but that interannual variability of annual maximum snow water equivalent (SWE[max]) decreases in regions transitioning from snow- to rain-dominated precipitation regimes. Changes in the date of SWE[max] are less spatially coherent, but agreement between general circulation models (GCMs) is most reliably found at relatively warm sites where the date of SWE[max] variability increases. The third chapter assesses another element of snow heterogeneity by testing the effect of snowfall intensity on winter ablation. Using a statistical modeling approach with observational snow data, we find that higher snowfall intensity is associated with reduced winter ablation; projected changes in snowfall intensity will likely exacerbate warming-induced increases in winter ablation in the maritime mountains of the western U.S. and mitigate it in the cooler continental regions. Finally, a fourth interdisciplinary, collaborative chapter synthesizes research on climate change in the mountainous headwaters of the Columbia River Basin. Findings show that research in this basin is focused on climate change impacts, rather than adaptation or mitigation, that social and biophysical sciences are not well integrated, and that research priorities differ across an international boundary. Cumulatively, this set of studies advances knowledge of how the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of snowpack will respond to climate change in the western United States, with implications for snow-dependent social and ecological systems.
Author: Adrienne M. Marshall Publisher: ISBN: Category : Climatic changes Languages : en Pages : 330
Book Description
Throughout the western United States, seasonal snowpack is critical for water resources timing and availability and ecosystem function. Warming temperatures associated with climate change reduce snow accumulation and advance melt timing, with serious consequences for snow-dependent social and ecological systems. While many impacts of climate change on snowpack are well established, this dissertation investigates several elements of changing snowpack that have not been previously assessed. In particular, each chapter contributes to an improved understanding of the changing heterogeneity of snow under climate change. The first chapter tests the sensitivity of snow drifting to altered climate, using a physically-based hydrologic model and thirty years of hydroclimatological data at a site where aspen stands are subsidized by a wind-driven snow drift. We find a warming-induced reduction in snow drifting, increase in ecohydrologic homogeneity across the landscape, and altered interannual variability of hydrologic metrics. The second chapter assesses changes in interannual variability of snowpack magnitude and timing across the western United States, using downscaled global climate model data as forcing to the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. We find that changes in interannual variability are spatially heterogeneous across the western U.S., but that interannual variability of annual maximum snow water equivalent (SWE[max]) decreases in regions transitioning from snow- to rain-dominated precipitation regimes. Changes in the date of SWE[max] are less spatially coherent, but agreement between general circulation models (GCMs) is most reliably found at relatively warm sites where the date of SWE[max] variability increases. The third chapter assesses another element of snow heterogeneity by testing the effect of snowfall intensity on winter ablation. Using a statistical modeling approach with observational snow data, we find that higher snowfall intensity is associated with reduced winter ablation; projected changes in snowfall intensity will likely exacerbate warming-induced increases in winter ablation in the maritime mountains of the western U.S. and mitigate it in the cooler continental regions. Finally, a fourth interdisciplinary, collaborative chapter synthesizes research on climate change in the mountainous headwaters of the Columbia River Basin. Findings show that research in this basin is focused on climate change impacts, rather than adaptation or mitigation, that social and biophysical sciences are not well integrated, and that research priorities differ across an international boundary. Cumulatively, this set of studies advances knowledge of how the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of snowpack will respond to climate change in the western United States, with implications for snow-dependent social and ecological systems.
Author: Eric Allan Sproles Publisher: ISBN: Category : Climatic changes Languages : en Pages : 192
Book Description
Throughout many of the world's mountain ranges snowpack accumulates during the winter and into the spring, providing a natural reservoir for water. As this reservoir melts, it fills streams and recharges groundwater for over 1 billion people globally. Despite its importance to water resources, our understanding of the storage capacity of mountain snowpack is incomplete. This partial knowledge limits our abilities to assess the impact that projected climate conditions will have on mountain snowpack and water resources. While understanding the effect of projected climate on mountain snowpack is a global question, it can be best understood at the basin scale. It is at this level that decision makers and water resource managers base their decisions and require a clarified understanding of basin's mountain snowpack. The McKenzie River Basin located in the central-western Cascades of Oregon exhibits characteristics typical of many mountain river systems globally and in the Pacific Northwestern United States. Here snowmelt provides critical water supply for hydropower, agriculture, ecosystems, recreation, and municipalities. While there is a surplus of water in winter, the summer months see flows reach a minimum and the same groups have to compete for a limited supply. Throughout the Pacific Northwestern United States, current analyses and those of projected future climate change impacts show rising temperatures, diminished snowpacks, and declining summertime streamflow. The impacts of climate change on water resources presents new challenges and requires fresh approaches to understanding problems that are only beginning to be recognized. Climate change also presents challenges to decision makers who need new kinds of climate and water information, and will need the scientific research community to help provide improved means of knowledge transfer. This dissertation quantified the basin-wide distribution of snowpack across multiple decades in present and in projected climate conditions, describing a 56% decrease in mountain snowpack with regional projected temperature increases. These results were used to develop a probabilistic understanding of snowpack in projected climates. This section described a significant shift in statistical relations of snowpack. One that would be statistically likely to accumulate every 3 out of 4 years would accumulate in 1 out of 20 years. Finally this research identifies methods to improved knowledge transfer from the research community to water resource professionals. Implementation of these recommendations would enable a more effective means of dissemination to stakeholders and policy makers. While this research focused only on the McKenzie River Basin, it has regional applications. Processes affecting snowpack in the McKenzie River Basin are similar to those in many other maritime, forested Pacific Northwest watersheds. The framework of this research could also be applied to regions outside of the Pacific Northwestern United States to gain a similar level of understanding of climate impacts on mountain snowpack.
Author: William D. Bowman Publisher: Oxford University Press ISBN: 0195344294 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 352
Book Description
This book will provide a complete overview of an alpine ecosystem, based on the long-term research conducted at the Niwot Ridge LTER. There is, at present, no general book on alpine ecology. The alpine ecosystem features conditions near the limits of biological existence, and is a useful laboratory for asking more general ecological questions, because it offers large environmental change over relatively short distances. Factors such as macroclimate, microclimate, soil conditions, biota, and various biological factors change on differing scales, allowing insight into the relative contributions of the different factors on ecological outcomes.
Author: Ryan J. MacDonald Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
Climate change poses significant threats to mountain ecosystems in North America (Barnett et al., 2005) and will subsequently impact water supply for human and ecosystem use. To assess these threats, we must have an understanding of the local variability in hydrometeorological conditions over the mountains. This thesis describes the continued development and application of a fine scale spatial hydrometeorological model, GENESYS (GENerate Earth SYstems Science input). The GENESYS model successfully simulated daily snowpack values for a 10 year trial period and annual runoff volumes for a thirty year period. Based on the results of these simulations the model was applied to estimate potential changes in snowpack over the St. Mary River watershed, Montana. GCM derived future climate scenarios were applied, representing a range of emissions controls and applied to perturb the 1961-90 climate record using the "delta" downscaling technique. The effects of these changes in climate were assessed for thirty year time slices centered on 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s. The GENESYS simulations of future climate showed that mountain snowpack was highly vulnerable to changes in temperature and to a lesser degree precipitation. A seasonal shift to an earlier onset of spring melt and an increase in the ratio of rain to snow occurred under all climate change scenarios. Results of mean and maximum snowpack were more variable and appeared to be highly dependent on scenario selection. The results demonstrated that although annual volume of available water from snowpack may increase, the seasonal distribution of available water may be significantly altered.
Author: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Working Group II. Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 9780521634557 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 532
Book Description
Cambridge, UK : Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Author: Jessica Halofsky Publisher: Springer ISBN: 3319569287 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 246
Book Description
This book is the result of a team of approximately 100 scientists and resource managers who worked together for two years to understand the effects of climatic variability and change on water resources, fisheries, forest vegetation, non-forest vegetation, wildlife, recreation, cultural resources and ecosystem services. Adaptation options, both strategic and tactical, were developed for each resource area. This information is now being applied in the northern rocky Mountains to ensure long-term sustainability in resource conditions. The volume chapters provide a technical assessment of the effects of climatic variability and change on natural and cultural resources, based on best available science, including new analyses obtained through modeling and synthesis of existing data. Each chapter also contains a summary of adaptation strategies (general) and tactics (on-the-ground actions) that have been developed by science-management teams.
Author: Jordi Catalan Publisher: Springer ISBN: 3319559826 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 413
Book Description
This book provides case studies and general views of the main processes involved in the ecosystem shifts occurring in the high mountains and analyses the implications for nature conservation. Case studies from the Pyrenees are preponderant, with a comprehensive set of mountain ranges surrounded by highly populated lowland areas also being considered. The introductory and closing chapters will summarise the main challenges that nature conservation may face in mountain areas under the environmental shifting conditions. Further chapters put forward approaches from environmental geography, functional ecology, biogeography, and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Organisms from microbes to large carnivores, and ecosystems from lakes to forest will be considered. This interdisciplinary book will appeal to researchers in mountain ecosystems, students and nature professionals. This book is open access under a CC BY license.
Author: Adrienne M. Marshall
Author: Adrienne M. Marshall
Author: Eric Allan Sproles
Author: William D. Bowman
Author: Ryan J. MacDonald
Author: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Working Group II.
Author: Jessica Halofsky
Author: Jordi Catalan
Author: Gordon Bonan
Author: 
Author: Rodger Grayson