Research Strategies for Addressing Uncertainties builds on descriptions of research needs presented elsewhere in the book; describes current research efforts and the challenges and opportunities to reduce the uncertainties of climate change; explores ways to improve the understanding of changes in climate and hydrology; and emphasizes the use of research to inform decision making.
Citation:
Busch, D. E., L. D. Brekke, K. Averyt, A. Jardine, and L. Welling. 2013. “Research Strategies for Addressing Uncertainties.” In Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States: A Report Prepared for the National Climate Assessment, edited by G. Garfin, A. Jardine, R. Merideth, M. Black, and S. LeRoy, 462–482. A report by the Southwest Climate Alliance. Washington, DC: Island Press.
David E. Busch (U.S. Geological Survey)
Levi D. Brekke (Bureau of Reclamation)
Kristen Averyt (University of Colorado, Boulder)
Angela Jardine (University of Arizona)
Leigh Welling (National Park Service)
Key Findings
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives and Climate Science Centers are assessing management priorities and science needs across the Southwest.
Increasing the level of evidence from, and agreement about, climate effects research, generates greater confidence in the research findings.
Input on research needs helps craft national scientific priorities and strategies, implemented regionally by agencies and organizations.
Concern about drought in the Southwest is generating new research approaches that will improve policies for wildland and human systems.
Figure Gallery
Figure 20.1: Research strategies for addressing uncertainties. Trajectories show how the level of evidence presented in climate effects research and agreement about the research, independently and collectively generate greater confidence in the research findings. Source: Mastrandrea et al. (2010), Mastrandrea et al. (2011).
Figure 20.2: Federal climate-science and landscape-management initiatives. Shading indicates Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (http://www.doi.gov/lcc/index.cfm) in the Southwest, overlaid by the approximate research regions of the Department of the Interior’s Climate Science Centers (http:// www.doi.gov/csc/index.cfm), indicated by the solid white line boundaries.