Indigenous Peoples
Key Points:
- Indigenous peoples of the Northern Great Plains are at high risk from a variety of climate change impacts, especially those resulting from hydrological changes. These include changes in snowpack, disruptions in seasonality and timing of precipitation events, extreme flooding, droughts, melting glaciers, and reduction in streamflows.
- Climatic changes are already resulting in harmful impacts to tribal economies, livelihoods, and sacred waters and plants used for ceremonies, medicine, and subsistence.
Recreation and Tourism
Key Points:
- Rising temperatures will result in less snow and shorter seasons for snow-dependent recreation activities, such as skiing or snowmobiling.
- Lower summer streamflows, earlier peak runoff, and warmer stream temperatures are likely to alter fishing quality, timing, and species distributions.
- Warmer temperatures are expected to expand the peak visitation season in Northern Great Plains parks, with more visitors expected in the spring and fall compared to past use levels.
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Key Points:
- Warmer and generally wetter conditions coupled with elevated atmospheric CO2 will impact seasonal water availability, and plant phenology and physiological responses.
- Wildfire, pathogens, and human disturbances will diminish habitat quality in all ecosystems.
- Adaptation will require a better understanding of plausible ecological responses to climate change and other stressors, and increased flexibility in decision making.
Agriculture
Key Points:
- Agriculture is an integral component of the economy, history, and culture of the Northern Great Plains.
- Rising temperatures and changes in extreme weather events are having negative impacts on some agricultural systems in parts of the region.
- A longer frost-free period could benefit agriculture in some ways; for example, by extending the grazing season or enabling new crop varieties. However, it could also increase pests, weeds, and invasive species.
