Are American Pikas (Ochontona princeps) in the Canadian Rockies Vulnerable to Climate Change?
Published: November, 2015
Author:
Shank CC
The American Pika is vulnerable to climate change as a result of its dependence on cool, moist conditions. However, most research on climate determinants of American Pika distribution has been done in the United States, where conditions are different from those in the higher-latitude range in the Canadian Rockies. The authors use historic and projected future climate conditions at 114 American Pika locations in Alberta to assess whether future conditions are likely to place these animals at risk. Although considerable uncertainty remains, the results suggest that American Pika populations in Alberta will likely be capable of persisting through this century, with an increasing dependence on successful vertical migration.
Document Type: Projects and Units - Climate Change Adaptation, Peer-reviewed Publications - ABMI-collaborators
Subject Area: Species, Climate Change
