Alaska Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: The Big Picture
Approach to Science and Management
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What are LCCs? Self-directed partnerships that: Provide science
and support for conservation and sustainable resource management;
Address landscape-scale stressors, i.e., climate change; Bring
together resource managers within an ecoregion to identify shared
conservation goals; Bring together resource managers and scientists
to identify and address information gaps; LCC Background
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Who makes up LCC partnerships? Federal and state/provincial
agencies Tribal/First Nations and local governments
Non-governmental organizations Universities, others LCC
Background
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Why LCCs? Some conservation challenges are too Big to be solved
by any one entity. Geographic Big Landscape-scale stressors and
processes cross jurisdictional boundaries. Conceptual Big Science
questions associated with management problems are
multi-disciplinary in nature. Effort Big Implementation costs are
high; coordination allows leveraging of funds but increases
bureaucratic overhead. LCC Background
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What do LCCs do? Science to Inform Management Assess landscape
condition and vulnerabilities Coordinate monitoring Facilitate
conservation planning Deliver information to stakeholders Develop
analytical and decision-making tools Facilitate formation of
adaptation strategies
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LCC Background
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Arctic LCC For more info: arcticlcc.org
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Arctic LCC Describe and Forecast Ecosystem Change Terrestrial
Observation Network Interdisciplinary Climate Response Research:
Link physical processes/biological response Model Ecosystem
Response to Climate Data Integration and Management Spatial Data
Provide Information to Meet Near-term Management Needs
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Arctic LCC Long-term monitoring of climate, hydrology,
soils/permafrost, and vegetation in representative watersheds.
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Arctic LCC Approved for 2013-2014 Starts: Response of an Arctic
Freshwater Ecosystem to Climate and Land-use Change Biological
Responses to Increasing Water Temperatures in Lakes of the
Barrow/Atqasuk Focus Watershed: An Interdisciplinary Bioenergetics
and Contaminants Study Tentatively Approved, Need Funding Partners
for 2014 Starts: Climate Change Effects on Wetlands, Invertebrates
and Shorebirds How Will Marine Food Webs in the Coastal Arctic
Respond to Increased Runoff Associated With Permafrost Melt?
Explicit investigation of linkages between climate change, physical
processes, and biological response.
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Arctic LCC Approved for 2013-2014 Starts: Response of an Arctic
Freshwater Ecosystem to Climate and Land-use Change Biological
Responses to Increasing Water Temperatures in Lakes of the
Barrow/Atqasuk Focus Watershed: An Interdisciplinary Bioenergetics
and Contaminants Study Tentatively Approved, Need Funding Partners
for 2014 Starts: Climate Change Effects on Wetlands, Invertebrates
and Shorebirds How Will Marine Food Webs in the Coastal Arctic
Respond to Increased Runoff Associated With Permafrost Melt?
Explicit investigation of linkages between climate change, physical
processes, and biological response.
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Arctic LCC Data Integration and Management Spatial Data Provide
Information to Meet Near-term Management Needs
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Western Alaska LCC
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Rotate every two-years between Coastal, Freshwater and
Terrestrial Systems themes Rotate every two-years between Coastal,
Freshwater and Terrestrial Systems themes Plan focus for each theme
6-12 months in advance Plan focus for each theme 6-12 months in
advance Always ask for cross-system projects Always ask for
cross-system projects (linkages from changes in physical drivers to
biological / ecological / human impacts) All projects must be
completed within four years of theme start. All projects must be
completed within four years of theme start. INITIAL Ideas for a
long-term science strategy
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Western Alaska LCC Changes in Coastal Storms & their
Impacts Changes in Coastal Storms & their Impacts Coastal
Hazards Workshop (w/ AOOS, Ak CSC), => report w/ priority info
needs on AOOS website Coastal Hazards Workshop (w/ AOOS, Ak CSC),
=> report w/ priority info needs on AOOS website Inventory of
coastal projects (AOOS website) Inventory of coastal projects (AOOS
website) Integrated suite of projects (RFP) (WALCC website)
Integrated suite of projects (RFP) (WALCC website) spatially
detailed projections of storm surge inundation on Yukon Delta coast
region of important migratory waterfowl breeding, Results used to
assess storm impacts on specific breeding waterfowl & project
future impacts under scenario(s) of relative sea level rise.
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Western Alaska LCC Rotate every two-years between Coastal,
Freshwater and Terrestrial Systems themes Rotate every two-years
between Coastal, Freshwater and Terrestrial Systems themes Plan
focus for each theme 6-12 months in advance Plan focus for each
theme 6-12 months in advance Always ask for cross-system projects
Always ask for cross-system projects (linkages from changes in
physical drivers to biological / ecological / human impacts) All
projects must be completed within four years of theme start. All
projects must be completed within four years of theme start.
INITIAL Ideas for a long-term science strategy
Slide 18
Western Alaska LCC Rotate every two-years between Coastal,
Freshwater and Terrestrial Systems themes Rotate every two-years
between Coastal, Freshwater and Terrestrial Systems themes Plan
focus for each theme 6-12 months in advance Plan focus for each
theme 6-12 months in advance Always ask for cross-system projects
Always ask for cross-system projects (linkages from changes in
physical drivers to biological / ecological / human impacts) All
projects must be completed within four years of theme start. All
projects must be completed within four years of theme start.
INITIAL Ideas for a long-term science strategy
Slide 19
Western Alaska LCC Rotate every two-years between Coastal,
Freshwater and Terrestrial Systems themes Rotate every two-years
between Coastal, Freshwater and Terrestrial Systems themes Plan for
each theme 6-12 months in advance Plan for each theme 6-12 months
in advance Always ask for cross-system projects Always ask for
cross-system projects (linkages from changes in physical drivers to
biological / ecological / human impacts) All projects must be
completed within four years of theme start. All projects must be
completed within four years of theme start. INITIAL Ideas for a
long-term science strategy
Slide 20
Western Alaska LCC Topic: Changes in Stream & Lake
Temperatures and their Impacts Topic: Changes in Stream & Lake
Temperatures and their Impacts Details being developed, Sept. RFP
Details being developed, Sept. RFP Major components: Major
components: Recommendations from recent statewide workshop on
Stream and Lake Temperature Projects investigating potential
Impacts
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Northwest Boreal LCC
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NWB LCC was initiated in 2011 International partnership Over 20
participating organizations Alaska Yukon Territory British Columbia
Northwest Territories
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Northwest Boreal LCC Science and management Information Needs
Assessment Informal questionnaire Priority biological and cultural
resources Management Framing Workshop Focusing on users needs
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Drivers of change in boreal ecosystems Drivers of change in
boreal ecosystems Wildfire Invasive species Insect disturbance
Permafrost dynamics Vegetation composition change Land-use change
Impacts on biological and cultural resources Impacts on biological
and cultural resources Northwest Boreal LCC
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Baseline data Assessments/syntheses Coordinated monitoring
Understanding relationships Projecting future states Adaptation
framework and best management practices Northwest Boreal LCC
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Improved geo-spatial data layers, specifically as they relate
to habitat maps (vegetation, soils, permafrost) Improved
geo-spatial data layers, specifically as they relate to habitat
maps (vegetation, soils, permafrost) Anthropogenic footprint
(current and projected) Anthropogenic footprint (current and
projected) Projections of future forest disturbance regimes (fire,
insect pest outbreaks) and impacts on priority resources
Projections of future forest disturbance regimes (fire, insect pest
outbreaks) and impacts on priority resources Climate-change related
impacts on subsistence/rural communities Climate-change related
impacts on subsistence/rural communities Products/data that span
the US-Canadian border Products/data that span the US-Canadian
border Northwest Boreal LCC
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www.nwblcc.org
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Aleutian Bering Sea Islands LCC
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Focus on landscape level stressors: Climate Variability and
Change Commercial Fisheries Marine Shipping Invasive/Introduced
Species Contaminants and Pollutants Ocean Acidification
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Aleutian Bering Sea Islands LCC Increased vessel traffic
through Aleutians & Bering Strait increase with loss of ice
Real-time, archived vessel tracking AIS (Automatic Identification
System) data Increased risk of oil or other spills, ballast water
invasives, or rat spills Halpren et al 2008
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Aleutian Bering Sea Islands LCC Changing sea ice has major
implications for region Several large-scale investments with
partners (e.g., SNAP, NOAA, AOOS) to assess vulnerability of
species to sea-ice loss A climate vulnerability workshop with
Alaska Climate Science Center
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Aleutian Bering Sea Islands LCC Alaska Maritime Refuge -
Removing introduced species with terrestrial mammal focus Aquatic
invasives = risk for fisheries and subsistence resources Focus on
prevention and early detection of introduction through
education
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Aleutian Bering Sea Islands LCC Threats from global transport
in atmosphere and marine waters as well as bio-transport by species
migrating from lower latitudes Used defense sites Includes marine
debris Community health & subsistence harvest Marine debris
ingestion and plastics toxicology Marine debris inventory
Evaluating the effectiveness of remediation efforts at former
defense sites; UAA using fish/birds as bio-indicators for
contaminants distribution
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Aleutian Bering Sea Islands LCC Help us continue our effort to
develop our strategic science plan ABSILCC.ORG
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North Pacific LCC New Website: www.nplcc.org
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Together, Alaska and northwest Canada LCCs can: Jointly address
state- or region-wide information needs LCC Coordination
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Together, Alaska and northwest Canada LCCs can: Jointly address
state- or region-wide information needs Serve as a forum for
learning and information exchange LCC Coordination
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Together, Alaska and northwest Canada LCCs can: Jointly address
state- or region-wide information needs Serve as a forum for
learning and information exchange At multiple levels Facilitate
communication and collaboration Among agencies/organizations Across
disciplines Across jurisdictional boundaries LCC Coordination
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Cross - LCC Collaboration
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Burned area Fire Severity ALFRESCO DOS-TEM GIPL-1 Soil moisture
Moss & Organics Veg. canopy Vegetation type Soil Thermal
Properties Downscaled GCM Data
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Cross - LCC Collaboration Examples of Anticipated Products
Climate Historical and projected temperature, precipitation
Disturbance Historical and projected area burned Susceptibility to
thermokarst Landcover and Vegetation Projected treeline Projected
distribution of vegetation types through time Ecosystem Dynamics
Carbon fluxes, net primary productivity, carbon released by fire
Soil Properties Permafrost distribution, active layer
thickness