Biodiversity management in the face of climate change: Operationalizing scientific recommendations for necessary next steps

Climate change creates new challenges to the management of biodiversity. Species ranges and ecological dynamics are shifting in response to climate change, and current reserves systems will not continue to support many of the species they were designed to protect. These problems are exacerbated by the effects of increasing development, pollution and invasive species. Conservation and restoration scientists have discussed over the last two decades how to adapt biodiversity science and management to the challenges posed by climate change. We asked what actions scientists have so far identified to address climate change and how their discussion has evolved over 20 years. We systematically reviewed journal articles that explicitly make recommendations for species management in response to climate change. We catalogued recommendations and answered a series of questions about each recommendation, such as the spatial scale, strategy type and target sector it addresses. A number of interesting patterns emerged.  First, strong consensus exists across two decades and a wide range of literature in what scientists assert needs to done to manage for climate change.  Second, many consistent recommendations are nevertheless vaguely defined and unclear as to how they can be implemented. Third, most of the suggested actions will require far greater coordination and integration of research scientists, restorations, land managers, and policymakers than currently exists.  We explore some of the most consistently recommended actions, including “manage for flexibility” and “increase the permeability of the matrix” and outline the information needs, research steps and institutional coordination necessary to operationalize them at local to regional reserve network scales.