Snow volume and spatial distribution are vital components of ecosystem health in mountainous terrain. However, our representations of snowpack at fine spatial scales, and its connections with snow-dependent species like wolverine and bull trout, are currently lacking. This is particularly true for expected changes in future climates, making our assessments of climate-driven threats to many wildlife species difficult to quantify. Justin Pflug, and CIRES sponsors Ben Livneh, are investigating climate-driven impacts on mountainous snowpack and wildlife habitat. They seek to understand the connections between meteorological conditions and the resulting snow connectivity and streamflow. This information is crucial for our understanding of how historic periods with abnormal meteorological conditions could be applied to simulate snow and habitat with future changes in climate.
