SAVS Climate Change Tool - Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystems - RMRS - US Forest Service

Banner image

Forest Service Home
About the Agency
Contact the National Office

Search

Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystems

Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystems
Research
Research by Focal Area
Research by Ecoregion
Research by Project
Products, Reports & Presentations
The Program
People
Research Labs
Contact Us
Rocky Mountain Research Station
Related Resources
Climate Change Resource Center
Experimental Forests & Ranges
Research Natural Areas
Resource Links
Search for Publications

Contact Information

Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystems
333 Broadway SE. Suite 115
Albuquerque, NM 87102-3497
505-724-3660
505-724-3688 (fax)

You are here: Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystems / Products, Reports & Presentations / SAVS Overview / SAVS Climate Change Tool

SAVS Climate Change Tool

Species:
Location:

All questions below require a response.

Habitat

Vulnerability

Uncertainty

Uncertainty

Area and distribution - breeding

H1. Area and distribution - breeding: Is the area or location of the associated vegetation type used for breeding activities by this species expected to change?

Area used for breeding habitat expected to...
	decline or shift from current location
	stay the same and in approximately the same location
	increase and include the current location

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Area and distribution - non-breeding

H2. Area and distribution - non-breeding: Is the area or location of the associated vegetation type used for non-breeding activities by this species expected to change?

Area used for non-breeding habitat expected to...
	decline or shift from current location
	stay the same and in approximately the same location
	increase and include the current location

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Habitat components - breeding

H3. Habitat components - breeding: Are specific habitat components required for breeding expected to change within the associated vegetation type?

Required breeding habitat components...
	expected to decrease
	unlikely to change OR habitat components required for breeding unknown
	expected to increase

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Habitat components - non-breeding

H4. Habitat components - non-breeding: Are other specific habitat components required for survival during non-breeding periods expected to change within the associated vegetation type?

Required non-breeding habitat components...
	expected to decrease
	unlikely to change OR habitat components required for breeding unknown
	expected to increase

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Habitat quality

H5. Habitat quality: Within habitats occupied, are features of the habitat associated with better reproductive success or survival expected to change?

Projected changes...
	likely to negatively affect habitat features associated with improved reproductive success or survival
	unlikely to affect habitat features associated with improved reproductive success or survival
	likely to positively affect habitat features associated with improved reproductive success or survival

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Ability to colonize new areas

H6. Ability to colonize new areas: What is the potential for this species to disperse?

	Low ability to disperse
	Mobile, but dispersal is sex-biased (only one sex disperses)
	Very mobile, both sexes disperse

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Migratory or transitional habitats

H7. Migratory or transitional habitats: Does this species require additional habitats during migration that are separated from breeding and non-breeding habitats?

	Additional habitats required that are separated from breeding and non-breeding habitats (e.g. most migratory species)
	No additional habitats required that are separated from breeding and non-breeding habitats (e.g. most resident species and short-distance migrants)

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Physiology

Vulnerability

Uncertainty

Uncertainty

Physiological thresholds

PS1. Physiological thresholds: Are limiting physiological conditions expected to change?

Projected changes in temperature or moisture ...
	are likely to exceed upper physiological thresholds (e.g. activities occur in very hot climates, amphibians in drier climates, species with narrow thermal range)
	will primarily remain within physiological thresholds OR species is inactive during limiting conditions (e.g. species with moderate thermal range, aestivators that avoid hot/dry conditions)
	will decrease current incidents where lower thresholds are exceeded (e.g. species active in very cold climates, amphibians in wetter climates, species with very broad thermal range)

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Sex ratio

PS2. Sex ratio: Is sex ratio determined by temperature?

	Yes
	No

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Exposure to weather-related disturbance

PS3. Exposure to weather-related disturbance: Are disturbance events (e.g. severe storms, fires, floods, etc.) that affect survival or reproduction expected to change?

	Projected changes in disturbance events will likely decrease survival or reproduction
	Survival and reproduction are not strongly affected by disturbance events OR disturbance events are not expected to change
	Projected changes in disturbance events will likely increase survival or reproduction

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Limitations to daily activity period

PS4. Limitations to daily activity period: Are projected temperature or precipitation regimes that influence activity period of species expected to change?

Duration of daily active periods ...
	likely to be reduced (e.g. heliotherms in hot climates, terrestrial amphibians in drier climates)
	unchanged or not limited by climate (species in habitats buffered from extremes, nocturnal species, primarily aquatic amphibians)
	likely to increase (e.g. heliotherms in cool climates, terrestrial amphibians in wetter climates)

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Survival during resource fluctuation

PS5. Survival during resource fluctuation: Does this species have alternative life history pathways to cope with variable resources or climate conditions?

Species has...
	no flexible strategies to cope with variable resources across multiple years
	flexible strategies to cope with variable resources across multiple years (e.g. alternative life forms, irruptive, explosive breeding, cooperative breeding)

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Energy requirements

PS6. Energy requirements: What is this species’ metabolic rate?

	Very high metabolic rates (e.g. shrews, hummingbirds)
	Moderate (e.g. most endotherms)
	Low (i.e. ectotherms)

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Phenology

Vulnerability

Uncertainty

Uncertainty

Mismatch potential - Cues

PH1. Mismatch potential - Cues: Does this species use temperature or moisture cues to initiate activities related to fecundity or survival (e.g. hibernation, migration, breeding)?

	Species primarily uses temperature or moisture cues to initiate activities (e.g. some hibernators, aestivators, rainfall breeders)
	Species does not primarily use temperature or moisture cues OR no cues to predict or initiate activities (e.g. photoperiod or circadian rhythms, resource levels)

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Mismatch potential - Event timing

PH2. Mismatch potential - Event timing: Are activities related to species’ fecundity or survival tied to discrete resource peaks (e.g. food, breeding sites) that are expected to change?

	Species’ fitness is tied to discrete resource peaks that are expected to change
	Species’ fitness is tied to discrete resource peaks that are NOT expected to change
	No temporal variation in resources or breeds year round

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Mismatch potential - Proximity

PH3. Mismatch potential - Proximity: What is the separation in time or space between cues that initiate activities related to survival or fecundity and discrete events that provide critical resources?

	Critical resource occurs far in advance or in distant locations from cues or initiation of activity
	Critical resource does NOT occur far in advance or in distant locations from cues or initiation of activity
	Species initiates activities directly from critical resource availability (e.g. opportunistic breeders)

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Resilience to timing mismatch

PH4. Resilience to timing mismatch: Does this species have more than one opportunity to time reproduction to important events?

Species reproduces...
	once per year or less
	more than once per year

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Biotic Interactions

Vulnerability

Uncertainty

Uncertainty

Food resources

B1. Food resources: Are important food resources for this species expected to change?

	Primary food source(s) are expected to be negatively impacted by projected changes
	Species consumes variety of prey/forage species OR primary food resource(s) not expected to be impacted by projected changes
	Primary food resource(s) expected to be positively impacted by projected changes

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Predators

B2. Predators: Are important predator populations for this species expected to change?

	Primary predator(s) are expected to be positively impacted by projected changes
	Preyed upon by a suite of predators OR the primary predator is not expected to be impacted by projected changes
	Species has no predators
	Primary predator(s) expected to be negatively impacted by projected changes

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Symbionts

B3. Symbionts: Are populations of symbiotic species expected to change?

	Symbiotic species populations expected to be negatively impacted by projected changes
	Symbiotic species populations not expected to be impacted by projected changes
	No symbionts
	Symbiotic species populations expected to be positively impacted by projected changes

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Disease

B4. Disease: Is prevalence of diseases known to cause widespread mortality or reproductive failure in this species expected to change?

	Disease prevalence is expected increase with projected changes
	No known effects of expected changes on disease prevalence
	Disease prevalence is expected to decrease with projected changes

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

Competitors

B5. Competitors: Are populations of important competing species expected to change?

	Major competitor species are expected to be positively impacted by projected changes
	Species has a variety of competitive relationships OR no expected impacts of projected changes in major competitor species
	Competing species are expected to be negatively impacted by projected changes

Information is...
	Adequate
	Not adequate or conflicting

SAVS

SAVS Overview
SAVS Climate Change Tool
Case Studies
Resources
Acknowledgements

Instructional Videos

Getting Started with SAVS

Using & Interpreting SAVS Scores

Contact Us | Forest Service Home | USDA.gov | recreation.gov
FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House