Seeking shelter from the storm: Conservation and management of imperiled species in a changing climate

摘要: Climate change is anticipated to exacerbate the extinction risk of species whose persistence already compromised by habitat loss, invasive species, disease, or other stressors. In coastal areas southeastern United States (USA), many imperiled vertebrates are vulnerable hurricanes, which climate models predict become more severe in 21st century. Despite this escalating threat, explicit adaptation strategies that address hurricane threats, particular, and generally, largely underrepresented recovery planning implementation. We provide a basis for stronger emphasis on strategic facing increasing threat catastrophic hurricanes. Our reasoning comes from observations short-term environmental biological impacts Hurricane Michael, impacted Gulf Coast USA October 2018. During storm, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, located along northern Mexico's coast panhandle region Florida, received storm surge was 3.0-3.6 m (NAVD88) above sea level. Storm pushed water into some ephemeral freshwater ponds used breeding federally threatened frosted flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum). After specific conductance across all measured varied 80 23,100 µS/cm, compared 75 445 µS/cm spring For 17 overwashed wetlands were both fall 2018, posthurricane were, average, than 90 times higher previous spring, setting stage varying population responses landscape. Importantly, we found live individual salamanders at non-overwashed sites, although cannot yet assess demographic consequences storm. outline actions could be incorporated like A. cingulatum, associated with hurricane-prone regions.