New 5-year study by USGS and WWF to Examine Climate Change Impacts on Waterbirds

According to a USGS press release September Science Picks -- Hot News about Cool Science (2 Sep 2009), "Climate change may affect critical water resources that support prey for 75 migratory bird species in the Great Basin."

 
The USGS adds:
 
A new five-year study by USGS and World Wildlife Fund scientists will examine the effects of climate change on waterbirds in this area. As climate change either freshens wetlands or drier weather makes them saltier, the distribution and availability of waterbird prey species may impact which waterbirds can use the wetlands and when. Scientists will use new genetic tools and climate models to examine past and present distributions of prey species to predict potential changes in their distribution. Results will have implications for evaluating future water needs for urban communities, agricultural irrigation, grazing plans and waterbird conservation. To learn more about USGS conservation genetics research, visit http://fresc.usgs.gov/research/StudyDetail.asp?Study_ID=656 or http://fresc.usgs.gov/conservationgeneticslaboratory/. For more information, contact Susan Haig at susan_haig@usgs.gov or (541) 750-7482.