Mountain Pine Beetles Affect Rocky Mountain Watersheds

The mountain pine beetle infestation in the Rocky Mountains has impacted millions of acres of pine trees from Colorado to Canada. Evidence suggests that warming temperatures are linked to the insect’s expanding range. Yet exactly what the tree die-off means for local watersheds is still largely unknown. Now, scientist Lindsay Bearup and her fellow researchers are…

Investigating Die-Offs of Western Woodlands

Western North American forests are experiencing a rapid increase in severe die-offs from droughts, insect attacks and fires. This increase in mortality has contributed to lumber mills closing, as well as to other, more far-reaching, economic impacts. Since 2013, OCCRI’s Forest Mortality, Economics, and Climate (FMEC) project has been studying the processes behind these die-offs….

Hotter Days, Heavier Rains Projected for United States

Many types of extreme events will increase in size and frequency in the future. That is the conclusion of climate experts who recently compared climate models to observed data. The scientists evaluated global climate models’ simulations of extreme events in the United States. They also examined the models’ future projections of the frequency and magnitude…

Sea Butterflies’ Shells Dissolve as pH Drops

Ocean acidification is potentially devastating for shell-forming organisms from corals to oysters, evidence shows. But to date, few studies have demonstrated acidification’s effects in the wild. Now, new findings suggest one seafaring shell-maker could be the key to understanding its effects on the West Coast’s ocean ecosystem. The animal is Limacina helicina, a small pteropod commonly…

Big Fires More Frequent Across Western Region

Fires are among the most destructive climate-related natural hazards in the western United States. A new analysis of satellite data shows that large fires have become more frequent over the past 30 years. Using high-resolution satellite data, Philip Dennison and colleagues tallied up the number of fires larger than 1,000 acres— almost 7,000 fires in…

Linking Science with Users for Regional Climate Adaptation

Connecting scientists with the managers of waters, farms, cities, forests and public health is the goal of RISA (Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments). By translating science — and also listening — RISAs support better planning for climate-driven impacts. Created and funded by NOAA, RISAs are “boundary organizations” that serve diverse climate information users, not only…