Analyze long-term monitoring data to better understand how climate change is affecting grasslands and other ecosystems throughout the western united states and to ensure that parks have the most…

This Cooperative Agreement award from the National Park Service (NPS) under the Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System (CFDA 15.945) provides $150,000 to Northern Arizona University (NAU) to analyze long-term ecological monitoring data and improve analytical methods to assess the impacts of climate change on grasslands and other ecosystems in the western United States. The key activities include:

1. Analyzing natural resource monitoring data and providing analytical support to NPS scientists.
2. Transforming existing analytical code into more flexible tools for use by a wider group of national parks and ecologists.
3. Improving analytical models to better evaluate the effects of climate and water balance on past, present, and future ecosystem conditions.
4. Compiling and analyzing grassland monitoring data for parks across the Intermountain Region and western U.S.
5. Publishing the regional grassland analysis results in a scientific journal.

The goal is to ensure that national parks have the latest information and analytical capabilities needed to make informed natural resource management decisions in response to climate change impacts. The award period runs from August 2024 through April 2029.

Analyze long-term monitoring data to better understand how climate change is affecting grasslands and other ecosystems throughout the western united states and to ensure that parks have the most current information needed to make informed natural resource management decisions in the face of climate change.summary of project specific activities:this project will perform data analyses and improve data analysis methods to understand changes in grasslands and other ecosystems in the western united states and to better understand their sensitivity to climate change. Results will be published and shared with the scientific community, national park staff, and the public.performance goals including milestones and expected outcomes:1)analyze natural resource monitoring data and provide analytical support for national park service scientists.2)transform existing analytical code into more flexible code that can be used by a wider group of national parks and ecologists.3)improve existing analytical models to better evaluate the effects of climate and water balance as drivers of past conditions and incorporate climate scenarios to improve predictions for the future.4)compile and analyze grassland monitoring data for parks across the intermountain region and western united states. 5)publish regional grassland analysis results in a scientific journal. Beneficiaries: park staff and visitors