Scanning the conservation horizon: A guide to climate change vulnerability assessment

Rapid climate change is the defining conservation issue of our generation. The effects of climate change are increasingly apparent, from drowned coastal marshes and drying prairie potholes to melting glaciers. These climate-driven changes will profoundly affect our ability to conserve fish and wildlife and the habitats on which they depend. Indeed, preparing for and coping with the effects of climate change - an endeavor referred to as climate change adaptation - is emerging as the overarching framework for conservation and natural resource management.