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Projected Shifts in Trees Species
Much of the Northeast’s forest is composed of the hardwoods maple, beech, and birch, while mountain areas and more northern parts of the region are dominated by spruce/fir forests. As climate changes over this century, suitable habitat for spruce and fir is expected to contract dramatically. Suitable maple/beech/birch habitat is projected to shift significantly northward under a higher emissions scenario (referred to as “even higher” in figure from Global Climate Change section),1 but to shift far less under a lower emissions scenario.1,2 Other studies of tree species shifts suggest even more dramatic changes than those shown here (see Tree species shifts in Ecosystems sector). Image Source: adapted from Iverson et al.3
References
- 1. a. b. [91] various. footnote 91., 2009.
- 2. [363] various. footnote 363., 2009.
- 3. [364] Iverson, L., A. Prasad, and S. Matthews. "Potential Changes in Suitable Habitat for 134 Tree Species in the Northeastern United States." Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 13, no. 5-6 (2008): 487-516.
Summary
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