Vulnerability of birds to climate change in California's Sierra Nevada

Throughout the 21st century, climate change is projected to decrease the area of Study area montane and subalpine conifer forest in the Sierra Nevada, and We defined the Sierra Nevada according to biogeographical increase the amount of grassland and oak/pine vegetation boundaries for California ecoregions established in Hickman (Lenihan et al. [...] In the portion of the Sierra Nevada in which Brewer’s Sparrow breeds, historic exposure to temperature and precipitation variation was relatively high, and projected changes in temperature and moisture are intermediate to high compared to other portions of the Sierra Nevada. [...] In the portion of the Sierra Nevada in which Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch breeds, historic exposure to temperature and precipitation variation was intermediate, and projected changes in temperature and moisture are relatively high compared to other portions of the Sierra Nevada. [...] In the widespread portion of the Sierra Nevada in which Song Sparrow breeds, both historic exposure to climate variation and projected exposure to climate change are intermediate compared to the Sierra Nevada overall. [...] Climate change vulnerability rankings and course-scale habitat associations for the 17 species (168 species assessed) that ranked as Moderately Vulnerable or Extremely Vulnerable to climate change in the Sierra Nevada under one or both of the climate projections we assessed.