Climate and water shape ecosystems, especially in arid and semi-arid places like Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We monitor climate and springs at the park each year to detect changes that could be detrimental to park ecosystems. Climate change is an emerging stressor on springs in the American Southwest and a diverse array of plants and animals depend on these sparse water resources in the park.
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Article 1: Climate Monitoring at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Climate is the primary driver of ecological processes on earth. A broader time scale (seasons to years) is what distinguishes climate from the instantaneous conditions reflected by the term weather. We conduct long-term climate monitoring to detect climate changes that could have cascading effects on park ecosystems. Read more
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Article 2: Springs Monitoring at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
We monitor six sentinel springs at Carlsbad Caverns National Park to detect broad-scale changes in these important resources. Springs are relatively rare but ecologically important natural resources in the American Southwest. Despite their small size, springs tend to be hot spots of biodiversity in arid lands. Read more