SAVS

System for Assessing Vulnerability of Species (SAVS)

Overview

The System for Assessing Vulnerability of Species (SAVS) is a simple and flexible tool designed to help managers assess the relative risk of individual species to population declines in response to projected climate change. Developed by the Rocky Mountain Research Station, SAVS uses an online questionnaire with 22 criteria to predict vulnerability or population response of species and provide a framework for assessing vulnerability to future climate change.

Key Features

  • Online questionnaire with 22 criteria
  • Assesses vulnerability of terrestrial vertebrate species to climate change
  • Generates scores for overall vulnerability and four categories: habitat, physiology, phenology, and biotic interactions
  • Scores range from -20 (most resilient) to +20 (most vulnerable)
  • Includes uncertainty assessment

    • How it works

    • Data Gathering: Collect climate projections for the target region and species data.
    • Scoring: Complete the questionnaire based on gathered data, indicating the level of uncertainty for each question.
    • Score Calculation: The tool generates an overall score and category scores, which can be used to identify vulnerable species and inform management strategies.

    Applicability

    • Identify highly vulnerable or resilient species
    • Rank species according to their vulnerabilities
    • Inform management planning and conservation efforts
    • Identify critical management actions or areas of need
    • Guide further monitoring or research efforts

    Resources

    • RMRS General Technical Report:
    • Bagne, Karen E., Megan M. Friggens, and Deborah M. Finch. "A system for assessing vulnerability of species (SAVS) to climate change." Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-257. Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 28 p. 257 (2011).
    • Sample Assessments:
    • Coe, Sharon J., Deborah M. Finch, and Megan M. Friggens. "An assessment of climate change and the vulnerability of wildlife in the Sky Islands of the Southwest." Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-273. Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 208 p. 273 (2012).
    • Bagne, Karen E., and Deborah M. Finch. "Vulnerability of species to climate change in the Southwest: threatened, endangered, and at-risk species at the Barry M. Goldwater Range, Arizona." Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-284. Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 139 p. 284 (2012).
    • Davison, Jennifer E., et al. "Bringing indices of species vulnerability to climate change into geographic space: an assessment across the Coronado national forest." Biodiversity and Conservation 21.1 (2012): 189-204.
    • Friggens, M., et al. "Review and recommendations for climate change vulnerability assessment approaches with examples from the Southwest." Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-309. Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 106 p. 309 (2013).
    • Friggens, Megan M., et al. "Vulnerability of species to climate change in the Southwest: terrestrial species of the Middle Rio Grande." Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-306. Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 191 p. 306 (2013).
    • Ojima, Dennis S., et al. "Risk assessment." Climate change and United States forests. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2013. 223-244.
    • Friggens, Megan M., et al. "Effects of climate change on terrestrial animals [Chapter 9]." In: Halofsky, Jessica E.; Peterson, David L.; Ho, Joanne J.; Little, Natalie, J.; Joyce, Linda A., eds. Climate change vulnerability and adaptation in the Intermountain Region [Part 2]. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-375. Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 264-315. 375 (2018): 264-315.
    • Friggens, Megan. "Using Vulnerability Assessments to Strengthen Climate-Adaptive Conservation Response to Climate Change." Renewing Our Rivers: Stream Corridor Restoration in Dryland Regions (2021): 140.

    Contact

    • For more information, please visit the official SAVS website or contact the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

    Ready to Begin?

    Once you've gathered the necessary data, you're ready to use the SAVS assessment tool. Remember that this assessment is only as good as the data that informs it - invest time in thorough data collection for the most reliable results.

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