ANTICIPATING CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE MIDWEST: An Assessment of Shrub Compatibility to Climate Change in Missouri
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Date
2019-06-18
Authors
Heese, Brianna
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Abstract
Climate change impacts the world at different rates and scales. This project examines the
effects of climate change in the residential landscape in the Midwest, an under-examined— but crucial—topic in climate change studies. Columbia, Missouri is used as a case study for analyzing climate change impacts in residential planting design, specifically focusing on the success and longevity of shrub species which provide both an aesthetic and functional role in the region. This project developed a flow chart and scoring system for critical evaluation of the climate change compatibility of locally available shrubs. Shrub data from four sources in Columbia generated a condensed list of shrubs encompassing different species, cultivars, and varieties. The shrubs were assessed via a two-tiered system: first filtering shrubs by winter hardiness and invasive qualities; and second, those passing the first filters were scored based on compatibility with both current and future climate conditions in Missouri. Of the species examined, 56% were identified as compatible for current and future conditions, 3% were predicted to be compatible for future conditions, 15% were found to be at risk in future conditions, and 26% were considered incompatible as shrubs in Missouri. For those species identified as at risk under climate change, climate-compatible alternatives that fulfill similar functional and aesthetic roles were explored as replacement and design strategies. The result was an identification process that opened the door for discussion on the future of landscape aesthetics in the Midwest.
Description
142 pages. Examining committee chair: Robert Ribe
Keywords
Climate change, Shrubs, Midwest, Missouri, Drought, Soil Moisture, Yard Aesthetics, Planting Design, Compatibility, Identifying Risk