A team of researchers headed by BSU biological sciences professor Julie Heath has been awarded a $1.7 million four-year grant to monitor the effects of climate change on American kestrels, and develop a modeling system that can predict how other types of birds will react to changes in weather patterns. Because kestrels live all across North America, different populations of the birds are being exposed to different patterns of climate change. The research will examine changes in nesting and migratory patterns that result.

Richard Fischer, the Department of Defense’s bird conservation program coordinator, said, “The DoD must adhere to all federal laws and regulations, and understanding climate change impacts to flora and fauna provides direct support to maintaining the ability of the military services to train and prepare the warfighter.” 

Heath said, “The DoD manages about 28 million acres of land across the country that support biodiversity and provide a variety of environments to support testing and training missions. To best manage this biodiversity, we need to understand whether and how species will respond to climate change.”

Heath and faculty members from BSU’s geosciences department will work with researchers from UCLA; Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota; Hawkwatch International; The Peregrine Fund; and the Environmental Laboratory of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center on the project. The grant is administered by the Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. There’s more information on the project online here.