Confronting Climate Change in the Gulf Coast Region

1
Confronting Climate Change in the Gulf Coast
Region

• Climate change will interact with, and
  magnify, other human stresses on Gulf Coast
  ecosystems and on the goods and services they
  provide.

2
Multiple Stresses of a Changing Climate
Source U.S. National Assessment, NAST, 2001
3
Land Use Changes
Source Tampa Bay Interactive Mapping System,
USGS Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science Program
4
Significant Alteration of Water Flows
Source South Florida Water Management District
Source South Florida Water Management District
5
Coastal Wetland Losses
6
Now Add climate change...

• Higher temperatures
• Faster sea-level rise
• More extreme rainfall/flooding events with
  longer dry periods in between
• Less precipitation in most coastal areas
• Uncertain rainfall changes upland
• More intense hurricanes

7
Changes in Water Availability and Flow
Source U.S Army Corps of Engineers
8
Sea-Level Rise
Louisiana Shoreline Change with a 20-inch (50 cm)
Rise in Sea Level
Source EPA
9
Ecosystem shifts
Example Black mangroves
Source R. Twilley
10
Invasive species
Open coastal prairie
Chinese tallow trees
Source E. Siemann
11
Upland ecosystems
Source NPS
12
Freshwater systems
Example Saltwater intrusion into freshwater
marshes.
13
Wetland migration and losses
Where the ability of wetlands to grow upward
and migrate inland is compromised, wetlands will
be lost.
Source Reed, 1995
14
Stressed Salt Marshes
Source G. Linscombe, LDWF
15
Coastal Habitats
Source J. Tunnell
16
Marine Ecosystems
Coral bleaching
Source NOAA
17
Groundwater Withdrawal
18
Saltwater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers ...
as sea level rises and water withdrawal continue
s
19
Changes in Agricultural Productivity
Source USDA
20
Changes in Fire Frequency
21
Impacts on Forestry
Source S. Roberts
Southern pine bark beetle damage
Source W.D. Boyer
Source R.F. Billings
22
Impacts on Fisheries
Hypoxia
Source NOAA
Declining nursery habitats
Source R. Twilley
23
Coastal Erosion and Beach Losses
24
Hurricane Damage
Galveston Hurricane, Texas, 1900
Hurricane Camille, Mississippi, 1962
Hurricane Andrew, Florida, 1992
Sources Top NOAA. Bottom SFWMD
25
Threats to Human Health and Comfort Weather-Relat
ed
Clear day in Houston
Increased Risk of

• Heat-related illnesses and deaths
• Air pollution and respiratory diseases

Smoggy day in Houston
Source Galveston-Houston Association for Smog
Prevention
26
Threats to Human Health and Comfort Water-Related
Increased risk of

• Water- and vector-borne diseases
• Red tides, algae blooms, and seafood
  contamination

Source National Ocean Service