Climate Change Implications for the Landscapes of the Upper Mississippi River Basin: A Review.

Analysis of climate trends across the Upper Mississippi River Basin shows significant change in frequency, variability, central tendencies (means, modes, medians), and extremes of several measured attributes.  Aside from what climate models predict for the region over the next century, the current trends in a number of measured climate attributes, especially since 1980, are evidence enough that the climate is changing at a remarkable pace and will continue to pose more challenges upon our knowledge and ability to adapt the management of our natural resources and infrastructure (watersheds, soils, forest, and agriculture included).  Changes in temperature and moisture attributes of the climate system are already linked to measurable consequences occurring across the Upper Mississippi Basin.  Some of these include vegetative species migration, plant-pest interactions, invasive species, soil erosion, river navigation, seasonality and amplitude of frozen soils, snow cover and lake ice duration, permeable pavements and changes in road load restrictions.  Several examples linking measured climate attribute change to observable consequences will be discussed.