Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: North Carolina
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Landuse patterns and projected global warming represent two major drivers that induce population declines and range contractions of many resident avian and amphibian species in Puerto Rico. This project will create species distribution maps for bird and anuran species that are critically endangered, vulnerable or data deficient and will use future climate scenarios to determine how their distribution may change in the future. Present protected areas will not suffice to safeguard species of great conservation need under climate change; therefore, decision makers should consider establishing larger protected areas, buffer zones, and connectivity between protected areas. This work provides State and Federal conservation agencies with a blueprint to frame habitat conservation strategies. The project is a collaboration with researchers from the University of Puerto Rico (Rio Piedras), Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, and biologists of the Science Applications and Caribbean Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.