USGS Role in Framing the Climate USGS Role in Framing the Climate Change ChallengeChange Challenge

Mark MyersDirector, USGS

Potential Impacts of Climate Change

to Tribal Communities Potential Impacts of Climate Change

to Tribal Communities

• Water Availability for Water Availability for Agriculture and Human SupplyAgriculture and Human Supply

• Human HealthHuman Health

• Land-use Land Cover PracticesLand-use Land Cover Practices

• Permafrost ThawingPermafrost Thawing

• Coastal Erosion and Sea-Level Coastal Erosion and Sea-Level RiseRise

• Proliferation of Invasive SpeciesProliferation of Invasive Species

• Integration of Traditional Integration of Traditional Knowledge in Climate StudiesKnowledge in Climate Studies

USGS - - The Strengths of Science, USGS - - The Strengths of Science, Monitoring and InformationMonitoring and Information

• History of climate change science History of climate change science research and long-term monitoringresearch and long-term monitoring

• Monitoring assets- from ice cores to Monitoring assets- from ice cores to stream gages to Landsatstream gages to Landsat

• Multi-disciplinary capabilities and Multi-disciplinary capabilities and scientific expertise across the scientific expertise across the landscapelandscape

• Capability to assess prehistoric, historic Capability to assess prehistoric, historic and current climate effectsand current climate effects

• Ability to integrate broad arrays and Ability to integrate broad arrays and types of information for effective types of information for effective decision-makingdecision-making

Ice Core

Landsat 7

Stream Gage

USGS Climate Change Science on USGS Climate Change Science on Native LandsNative Lands

• Air Quality Research – Dust, Mercury, CoalAir Quality Research – Dust, Mercury, Coal

• Monitoring Changes in Snowpack and Stream Monitoring Changes in Snowpack and Stream

RunoffRunoff

• Native Plant Populations and Invasive Species Native Plant Populations and Invasive Species

• Interplay Between Land Use, Land-cover Interplay Between Land Use, Land-cover

Change and ClimateChange and Climate

• Changing Distribution and Impact of Human Changing Distribution and Impact of Human

and Animal Diseases and Animal Diseases

Bringing Culture and Science Bringing Culture and Science TogetherTogether

Collaboration and PartnershipsCollaboration and Partnerships

• Information Sharing

• Training

• Internships

Looking Toward the FutureLooking Toward the Future