Report Details
Low Genetic Diversity and Poor Dispersal, but Not Conservation Status Rank, are Linked to Climate Change Vulnerability
Climate change vulnerability assessments for Pennsylvania were completed for 35 plant species using the Climate Change Vulnerability
Index (CCVI v2.0) developed by NatureServe. The CCVI allows the user to examine the exposure and sensitivity of a species to a series of
risk factors associated with climate change. This study, as well as studies from West Virginia (Byers & Norris 2011) and New York
(Schlesinger et al. 2011), indicates that among the top five risk factors, based upon both floral and fauna assessments, appeared to be related
to a lack of dispersal and movement mechanisms along with low genetic diversity. All of the above studies found that conservation status
rankings and vulnerability to climate change were not directly related to one another. In light of these findings conservation protocols need
to be reexamined to direct resources where they will be most effective in furthering the conservation of plant species.
Heritage
WRCP
06/04/2014
Location Information
| Investigator Details | |
| Name: | Cynthia Morton |
| Street Address 1: | |
| Street Address 2: | |
| City/State/Zip: | |
| Phone: | |
| Investigator Details | |
| Name: | Matthew Schlesinger |
| Street Address 1: | |
| Street Address 2: | |
| City/State/Zip: | |
| Phone: | |
| matthew.schlesinger@dec.ny.gov | |
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