[Water_news] 5. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: AGENCIES, PROGRAMS, PEOPLE - 2/10/09

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

February 10, 2009

 

5. Agencies, Programs, People –

 

 

Study: Warming climate to hurt Calif bird species

Associated Press – 2/9/09

By JASON DEAREN, Associated Press Writer

 

(02-09) 21:01 PST San Francisco, CA (AP) --

Since 1967, birder and teacher Gene Cardiff has trekked with students to California's mountains and deserts to catch a glimpse of the white-headed woodpecker, or other rare sights.

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But Cardiff, an ornithologist who lives near San Bernardino, said the state's drought conditions over the past few years have devastated bird food sources in his area's forests and deserts, leading to fewer birds to watch.

 

"I can't do a good job teaching my class because there are no birds to see," said Cardiff. "It's a sinking feeling."

A new Audubon California study released Tuesday finds that the state will lose significant numbers of its native birds as climate change quickly shrinks the range and habitat of more than 100 species.

 

The state predictions are based on models of future climates, and serve as a companion to a national Audubon Society study, also released Tuesday. That study, using data collected over the past 40 years, determined that 177 bird species in the U.S. are spending the winter farther north because of a warming world.

 

In California, scientists worry that the quickly warming climate might not only force certain species to move northward, but wipe out others that are not quick to adapt.

"Major climate variables influencing species' distributions are expected to change so quickly that even highly mobile species like birds will be unable to keep pace," the report states.

 

Still, the news is not all dire: The study also suggests that significant curbs on greenhouse gas emissions and investment in conservation can greatly reduce the damage.

The California study presents scenarios for 313 native-Californian bird species using models that predict different future climates based on low-to-high reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.

 

The news is most alarming for birds like the yellow-billed magpie, which only exist in California. The study found that the species would lose about 75 percent of its range in coming decades under a high emission scenario, but only about 9 percent if pollution is reduced significantly.

 

"For years, people have made big conservation investments with their fingers crossed that their good work won't simply be erased by climate change in a few years," said Bill Monahan, senior scientist at Audubon California who co-authored the state study. "Having a sense of what the landscape actually will look like 50, or even 100, years into the future will allow us to make much better conservation investments today."

 

Other factors contributing to the shift in bird range include urban sprawl and the increase in backyard bird feeders. But the researchers say global warming will continue to be the most significant factor for decades to come.

 

The Audubon researchers hope their report will help state leaders lessen climate change's effects by identifying the areas and species most in need of attention. The study also lauds California's plan to implement a landmark 2006 law that has made the state a global leader in combating climate change.

 

"Birds are showing us how the heavy hand of humanity is tipping the balance of nature and causing ecological disruption in ways we are just beginning to predict and comprehend," said Greg Butcher, a co-author of the national report and Audubon director of bird conservation.#

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/02/09/state/n210139S57.DTL&type=science

 

 

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