Climate-Adaptive Population Supplementation (CAPS)
Cost-effective management of supplemented species in a changing climate
The CAPS Mission
CAPS seeks to boost the efficiency of population supplementation programs by propagating portfolios of climate-resilient genotypes. This will entail a shift in the mindset of stocking and planting programs, supported by careful comparisons of climate-relevant traits and genes among strains/cultivars. Both scientific innovation and stakeholder engagement will be essential for the successful development and application of the CAPS concept across management spheres.
Trait profiling strains/cultivars
Identify climate-associated traits among strains within your species
Characterize environments
What do the environments you place organisms into look like now? In 50-100 years?
Test performance of strains across environments
Outplant a set of strains into environments and measure fitness/survival
Create a portfolio of strains
Choose strains with good performance across projected environmental conditions
Photo by Lauren Owens Lambert