Climate Inventory

Climate is a dominant factor driving the physical and ecologic processes affecting the NCBN. Climate variations are responsible for short- and long-term changes in ecosystem fluxes of energy and matter and have profound effects on underlying geomorphic and biogeochemical processes. The NCBN parks contain critical coastal and wetland habitat for rare and endangered species, and these areas also act as important migratory corridors for various animal species. Because of its influence on the ecology of NCBN park units, climate was identified as a high-priority, vital sign for NCBN, and climate is one of the 12 basic inventories to be completed for all National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Program (I&M) networks.

A project has been initiated to inventory past and present climate monitoring efforts in the NCBN and to provide the following information:

• Overview of broad-scale climatic factors and zones important to NCBN park units.
  
• Inventory of weather and climate station locations in and near NCBN park units.
  
• Results of an inventory of metadata on each weather station,
  
• Initial evaluation of the adequacy of coverage for existing weather stations and recommendations for improvements in monitoring weather and climate.
  

This report is available at the following website:
https://science1.nature.nps.gov/naturebib/biodiversity/2007-3-5/2006_09_21_ncbninventory_final.pdf.
For more information on the national program, clickhere.