We identify issues and uncertainties that pose obstacles to conservation and then—in collaboration with internal and external colleagues—develop science products that help overcome those obstacles.
Derek Young
A century of fire suppression has dramatically altered the structure and composition of western U.S. forests. When dense, fire-suppressed forests experience wildfire, they often burn severely. To reduce the risk of these wildfires and reduce carbon release to the atmosphere, both critical for climate change…
Vickers, T.W., J. N. Sanchez, C. Johnson, S.A. Morrison, R. Botta, T. Smith, B.S. Cohen, P. Huber, W.M. Boyce
Conservation of wide-ranging species like mountain lions is especially difficult in highly fragmented landscapes, such as coastal southern California. Research into their populations can provide important insights into what is needed to protect them, such as where to prioritize habitat conservation or restoration. This paper…
Jennifer K. Carah, Jeanette K. Howard, Sally E. Thompson, Anne G. Short Gianotti, Scott D. Bauer, Stephanie M. Carlson, David N. Dralle, Mourad W. Gabriel, Lisa L. Hulette, Brian J. Johnson, Curtis A. Knight, Sarah J. Kupferberg, Stefanie L. Martin, Rosamond L. Naylor, Mary E. Power
Marijuana cultivation can have significant negative collateral effects on the environment that are often unknown or overlooked. This study focuses on California, where by some estimates, 60–70% of the marijuana consumed in the United States is grown. The study adds the environment to the debate…
The Nature Conservancy: Erica Brand, Laura Crane, Dick Cameron, Energy and Environmental Economics: Grace C. Wu, Nick Schlag
Integrating ecological data into long-term energy planning is critical to meet both California’s long term energy and conservation goals. This report assesses the potential trade-offs associated with renewable energy build-out by evaluating the land and water use implications and cost of a range of potential…
M.G. Anderson, P.J. Comer, P. Beier, J.J. Lawler, C.A. Schloss, S. Buttrick, C. M. Albano, D. P. Faith
Incorporating geodiversity into conservation plans to ensure conservation actions are more resilient to climate change is appealing because it addresses the threat of climate change while avoiding the uncertainties associated with climate model projections. However, there are no standards for how to do so. This…
Patrick J. Comer, Robert L. Pressey, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr., Carrie A. Schloss, Steven C. Buttrick, Nicole E. Heller, John M. Tirpak, Daniel P. Faith, Molly S. Cross, Mark L. Shaffer
The protection of biodiversity in a changing climate is a key challenge for conservation planners. Conserving a diversity of geophysical settings makes species and systems more resilient to climate change by providing a diversity of niche options that enable species to adapt to changing conditions.…
Tamara S. Wilson, Jason Sherba, Dick Cameron, Benjamin M Sleeter
Human land use will increasingly contribute to habitat loss and water shortages in California, given future population projections and associated land-use demand. Understanding how land-use change may impact future water use and where existing protected areas may be threatened by land-use conversion will be important…
Miriam Tsalyuk, Maggi Kelly, Kevin Koy, Wayne M. Getz, H. Scott Butterfield
Monitoring the effects of grazing on rangelands is crucial for ensuring sustainable rangeland ecosystem function and maintaining conservation values. Residual dry matter (RDM), the dry grass biomass left on the ground at the end of the grazing season, is a commonly used proxy for rangeland condition…
Langin, K.M., T.S. Sillett , W.C. Funk, S.A. Morrison, M.A. Desrosiers, C.K. Ghalambor
Islands are renowned laboratories for discovery into natural selection. This study looked at “islands” of habitat within a single island and remarkably found that the Island Scrub-Jay – notably, a highly vagile species – had different shaped bills depending on whether it occurred in pine…
Hofman, C.A., T. C. Rick, M. T. R. Hawkins, W. C. Funk, K. Ralls, C. L. Boser, P. W. Collins, T. J. Coonan, J. L. King, S.A. Morrison, S. D. Newsome, T. S. Sillett, R. C. Fleischer, J. E. Maldonado
Genomics techniques provide powerful means of understanding evolutionary history. This paper examines the evolution of the island fox, which occurs on six of the California Channel Islands. Insights from the research include the role humans played in the evolution of the species, and the remarkably…
Doak, D.F., G.K. Himes Boor, V.J. Bakker, W.F. Morris, A. Louthan, S.A. Morrison, A. Stanley, L. Crowder
One of the key components of a recovery plan for a threatened or endangered species in the United States is the set of recovery criteria that will be used to evaluate progress in abating the threats to the species and reducing its risk of extinction.…
Katie Andrews, Megan Webb, Robin Cox
This interactive webmap takes a multimedia approach to showcase the Conservancy’s conservation legacy in Marin County, California. Eleven achievements are profiled with photographs and summaries that provide a “then and now” perspective.
Cause Hanna, Ida Naughton, Christina Boser, Ruben Alarcón, Keng-Lou, James Hung, David Holway
Floral visitation by ants can compromise plant reproduction in situations where ants interfere with more effective pollinators. This paper documents how Argentine ants on Santa Cruz Island in California interfere with pollination services provided by native invertebrates, leading to negative impacts for native plants. The…
Daniel Karp, Sasha Gennet, Rodd Kelsey
Recognition of the magnitude of human impacts on the planet and the urgent need to increase the pace and scale of conservation has led many conservation organizations to emphasize conservation for both “people and nature.” This article proposes a framework that clarifies what that relationship…
M.L. Mann, P. Berck, M.A. Moritz, E. Batllori, J.G. Baldwin, C.K. Gately, D.R. Cameron
Between 1940 and 2000, nearly 10 million housing units were constructed in California. This new development led to increased interaction between human and natural communities. Tha authors of this paper modeled the extent and intensity of future housing settlements between 2000 and 2050 using three…
Strategies for preserving the Earth’s biodiversity that can be employed within cities are likely to become more common as urban areas continue to increase in size and number. Progress towards the development of effective conservation methods for urban areas is impeded by several factors, including…
Matt Miller, Dick Cameron
