Invasive Species and Climate Change: Addressing the Intersecting Drivers of Ecosystem Transformation

Invasive species and climate change pose grave threats to our ecosystems, both individually and together. Climate change may diminish the resilience of ecosystems to invasive species, while invasive species may also weaken ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In December, 2014, the National Invasive Species Council and Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force jointly released a new publication, “Bioinvasions in a Changing World: A Resource on Invasive Species-Climate Change Interactions for Conservation and Natural Resource Management,” that considers these interactions. It identifies management strategies, tools and resources, as well as knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research needs to help us plan for the future. This webinar brought together a panel of experts to discuss the new report and the intersections between climate change and invasive species.

Panelists:

• Stas Burgiel, Assistant Director for Prevention and Budgetary Coordination, National Invasive Species Council
• Catherine Jarnevich, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center
• Brian Miller, Staff Member & Research Scientist, DOI North Central Climate Science Center & Colorado State University
• Bruce Stein, Director of National Climate Change Adaptation National Advocacy Center, National Wildlife Federation
• Ruark L. "Rook" Cleary, NECIS Liaison to Board of Directors for Natural Areas Association & Invasion Biologist, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Moderator:

• Read Porter, Director, Invasive Species Program, Environmental Law Institute
   

Webinar Slides (PDF)

Background Materials:

• Bioinvasions in a Changing World: A Resource on Invasive Species-Climate Change Interactions for Conservation and Natural Resource Management
• Integrating research tools to support the management of social-ecological systems under climate change (Miller & Morisette 2014)
• Linking Climate Change and Invasive Species Policies
• National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy
• President's State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience: Recommendations to the President
• Priority Agenda: Enhancing the Climate Resilience of America's Natural Resources

• Using stylized agent-based models for population–environment research: a case study from the Galápagos Islands (Miller et al. 2010)