This study focused on the rare and threatened plant species eastern turkeybeard (Xerophyllum asphodeloides (L.) Nutt.) and its presence or absence in the Talladega National Forest in Alabama, USA. An ensemble suitable habitat map was developed using four different modeling methods (MaxEnt, Generalized Linear Model, Generalized Additive Model, and Random Forest). AUC evaluation scores for each model were 0.99, 0.96, 0.98, and 0.99, respectively. Biserial correlation scores for models ranged from 0.71 (GLM) to 0.94 (RF). The four different models agreed suitable habitat was found to cover 159.57 ha of the land. The ground slope variable was the most contributive variable in the MaxEnt and RF models and was also significant in the GLM and GAM models. The knowledge gained from this research can be used to establish and implement habitat suitability strategies across the Talladega National Forest and similar ecosystems in the southern United States.

This study analyses how social relations of power affect access to resources and decision making, and their implications for vulnerability and adaptive capacity under changing climatic conditions. Using a perspective that is important but often overlooked in the study of vulnerability and adaptation to climate impacts, the research examines the underlying drivers of vulnerability to climate impacts in a fishing community in Ghana. Results from the study show that unequal social relations of power drive differential vulnerability patterns among households in the study communities. The results also show that the access profile of a household influences the strategies used in responding to climatic impacts. The study concludes that identifying and addressing the unequal power relationships that influence access to assets, is essential for the formulation and implementation of effective and sustainable adaptation policies.