© Pete Saloutos/Panoramic Images (Washington Title Image Large)
Climate Change in Washington
© Terry Donnelly Climate Change in Washington Image
From State of Washington Natural Heritage Plan (2007): Climate change will likely reshape our ecosystems and alter the mix of species that live within Washington. Rising sea level will impact nearshore habitats (beaches, tidepools, etc.) and estuaries. The food web within Puget Sound, riparian habitats and our forest ecosystems will undergo change. Changing temperature and precipitation patterns will alter patterns of wildfire frequency and severity, resulting in changes in the species composition and structure of our forests. The flow of water through watersheds will change, altering riparian ecosystems and isolated wetlands. Salmon will face increasing pressures; their lifecycle makes them susceptible to climate change effects in freshwater, brackish estuaries, and the open waters of the ocean. Successful conservation will depend on gaining a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on our species and ecosystems.