2007 Summaries of Wildlife Research Findings - Minnesota State ...

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remain intact. New biological communities may be dominated by plant and animal species best
able to disperse, including many of the invasive species we are currently managing.
Climate change will be beneficial for some species, but it is likely to be detrimental for
many species. In response to climate change, plants and animals can adapt, migrate (i.e., shift
their range), or become extirpated or extinct (Noss 2001). In Minnesota, it is likely that ranges
of some species will shift generally from south to north with increasing temperatures and perhaps
from west to east if summers become drier. It is predicted that ranges of many wildlife species
may become smaller (Parmesan and Galbraith 2004). As the spatial distributions of species
change, some species will become extirpated from Minnesota and others will move into
Minnesota (Price and Glick 2002). Several wildlife species have expanded into northern
Minnesota from the south during recent decades, presumably due to warmer temperatures and
mild winters. Examples include mourning doves, northern cardinals, and opossums. Wildlife
associated with near-boreal forests in northern Minnesota may be under the greatest threat of
extirpation from the state due to climate change.
Rising interest in and development of renewable sources of energy, partially due to
desires to mitigate for climate change, are influencing land-use decisions that affect wildlife. For
example, in western Minnesota commercial wind turbine projects and planting feedstocks for
ethanol fuel and biomass (e.g., corn, switchgrass) are becoming more common. Opportunities
exist, however, to produce biofuels, sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and provide other
ecosystem services using high-diversity plantings of native grassland perennials (Tilman et al.
2006).
We in the Wildlife Climate Change Working Group believe that communicating and
establishing a clear, shared vision within the Section of Wildlife (or higher level within
MNDNR) about climate change is important. A critical aspect of the vision should include being
proactive in identifying and implementing responsible, science-based strategies for mitigating
climate change and adapting to unavoidable climate changes. We also believe that the
significance of climate change to the management and conservation of wildlife warrants making
it an explicit priority of the Section, Division, and Department to develop and implement a
proactive response to climate change.
In general, we in the Section of Wildlife should (1) focus on objectives that help the
Section accomplish its mission and mandates; (2) acknowledge uncertainty when making