Climate Change Monitoring Network Analysis

Completion date 2015

 

The Puu Kukui rain gage rests at the summit of the West Maui mountains at a summit of 5771 feet. (Credit: USGS Pacific Islands Water Science Center)
The Puu Kukui rain gage rests at the summit of the West Maui mountains at a summit of 5771 feet. (Credit: USGS Pacific Islands Water Science Center)

Location: Islands of Hawai‘i

How can scientists and managers track changes that occur in key climate variables, their effects on ecosystems, or on the services ecosystems provide to the people of Hawai‘i?

Climate change is now clearly happening in Hawai‘i, and projections show that changes will continue to be large but differ across the islands. A Climate Change Monitoring Network will not only chronicle this change over time, it will also provide insight into causes of that change and enable improved forecasting of future change.

After a workshop in Hawai‘i in June 2015, representatives from various agencies recognized the need for monitoring and proposed key critical elements that are needed in the formation of a Climate Change Monitoring Network. These elements include: rainfall, air temperature, wind, stream flow, vegetation and forest birds. A Technical Advisory Team, along with a Technical Analyst, will choose monitoring sites using specified criteria and develop protocols for each of the monitoring elements.