Traditional Climatic Knowledge in the Nearctic and Neotropic ecoregions

The Nearctic and Neotropic ecoregions host a variety of ecosystems and cultures that are being impacted by climate change. We conducted a review of grey and peer reviewed literature reporting local observations and adaptations to climate change made by subsistence-oriented communities. We collected about 1800 observations of changes in plants, animals, weather, and physical conditions from 339 localities, with a predominance in the northern hemisphere. The most cited change is an increase in temperature (~ 64% of localities). Changes in rainfall patterns and crop production are primarily reported in the Neotropics, while a reduction of snowfall and changes in animal behaviors are most often reported in Nearctic communities. Differences in adaptations in the two regions include a predominance of pooling strategies and increased time spent obtaining food resources in the Nearctic, and an increased use of species adapted to new climatic conditions in the Neotropic.