Background

Global climate change will play a critical role in shaping future environments, and thus biodiversity. Key climate variables like temperature and precipitation will shift1,2, affecting species ranges, phenologies, and viability3-6. A changing world climate will likely lead to future environmental conditions unlike any currently experienced by species managed on US Department of Defense (DoD) lands. As a result, many species will become “conservation reliant”, requiring active management to prevent local, regional, and even global declines or extinction. Other species will be able to adapt to new conditions provided little or no management.