Vital Signs & Climate Change: Tracking the Pulse of San Francisco Bay Area National Park Ecosystems into an Uncertain Climate Future

By Avani Skye Fachon, Science Communication Assistant, San Francisco Bay Area Network (SFAN)

NPS / Environment for the Americas / Avani Fachon

As we forge ahead into an uncertain climate future, how can we track the ways in which San Francisco Bay Area national park ecosystems are responding to these unprecedented conditions?

One way is to keep tabs on ecosystem vital signs. Vital signs are particular animals, plants, or non-living factors which are deeply entangled in the workings of their environments, and thus indicators of the health of their broader ecosystems. Just as a doctor takes a patient’s pulse to collect information about their wellbeing, biologists can monitor vital components of an ecosystem to gather clues about its overall state.

In "Vital Signs & Climate Change: Tracking the Pulse of San Francisco Bay Area National Park Ecosystems into an Uncertain Climate Future," explore the fascinating stories of our San Francisco Bay Area Network (SFAN) vital signs and learn about how they are being impacted by climate change. Through this interactive, multimedia journey, hear from SFAN and partner biologists, and dive into photo and map content that centers their important research. Get a glimpse into the process of collecting data for long-term monitoring programs, key to informing park conservation efforts and supporting the continuance of Bay Area ecosystems for this and future generations. The project is embedded below. For the complete experience, view the project in full screen mode.

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