Vulnerability of California Fish, Wildlife, and Plants to Climate Change

A vulnerability assessment can be used to determine which fish, wildlife, and plant species may be most vulnerable to climate change, and why. Many of these assessments have been conducted in California by various entities, and these studies provide crucial information for conservation and adaptation planning.

Below is a list of climate change vulnerability assessments for fish, wildlife, and plants that have been completed by or funded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in California (with one exception as noted below). The climate vulnerability ranks and associated maps developed by these assessments provide a comprehensive view of climate vulnerability of wildlife species and habitats in California as of the date of publication. Wildlife species that were identified as climate vulnerable by these studies were included in the 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan as Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

Climate science is a rapidly evolving field, and new studies and updated information will be posted as they become available. Also included below are resources and tools for conducting vulnerability assessments for species and habitats.

Climate change vulnerability reports for California species

• Birds – a climate vulnerability analysis of 358 California birds was completed by Point Reyes Bird Observatory (Point Blue Conservation Science) in 2011 as part of the Department’s Bird Species of Special Concern update.
  • Report: A Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment of California's At-Risk Birds
  • Project maps and data
  • Additional Information on the project
• Reptiles and Amphibians – a climate risk analysis for all 153 reptile and amphibian species in California was completed by the University of California, Davis (UCD) in 2013 with funding provided by CDFW.
  • Report: California Amphibian and Reptile Species of Future Concern: Conservation and Climate Change (PDF)
  • Contact us for more information on available GIS data
• Mammals – a climate vulnerability analysis of 20 native California mammal taxa was completed by the University of California, Davis (UCD) in 2016 with funding provided by CDFW.
  • Report: A Climate Change Assessment for Twenty California Mammal Taxa (PDF)
  • Contact us for more information on available GIS data
• Fish – a climate vulnerability analysis of freshwater fishes in California, including 121 native fish taxa and 43 aliens, was completed by the University of California, Davis in 2012 with funding from the California Energy Commission. The project was part of the state’s third climate change assessment.
  • Report: Climate Change Vulnerability Scores for California’s Extant Native Fish Fauna (PDF)
• Vegetation – a climate vulnerability analysis of natural vegetation community types state-wide in California, completed by the University of California, Davis in 2016 with funding provided by CDFW. The assessment was completed in association with the 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan update.
  • Report: A climate change vulnerability assessment of California’s terrestrial vegetation (PDF)
  • Project maps and data
• Rare plants – a vulnerability analysis of 156 rare plant species in California was completed by CDFW in 2011 with funding provided by the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative.
  • Report: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment of Rare Plants in California (PDF)
  • Associated article in Madroño
  • Additional Information on the project

Resources for conducting vulnerability assessments

• National Wildlife Federation: Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (PDF)
• Nature Serve: Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI)
• Nature Serve: Climate Change Vulnerability Index for Ecosystems and Habitats (HCCVI)
• U.S. Forest Service: A System for Assessing Vulnerability of Species (SAVS)