Forest [FAR1] | Adaptation Workbook

Legacy FAR1 strategy/approaches.

Taxonomy Machine Name

niacs_strategy

Taxonomy Alias

far1

Most dominant species are projected to increase or remain stable, including eastern redcedar, eastern redbud, hackberry, northern red oak, pignut hickory, pitch pine, scrub oak, Virginia pine, and white oak.

Many of the species in this ecosystem are projected to do well under a range future climate scenarios. Sugar maple is projected to decline in a substantially warmer and drier climate, and would be the most likely to disappear from this community type due to moisture deficit. This community is characterized by fewer than a dozen species, which vary based on the presence of shale or limestone bedrock.

Read more about Most dominant species are projected to increase or remain stable, including eastern redcedar, eastern redbud, hackberry, northern red oak, pignut hickory, pitch pine, scrub oak, Virginia pine, and white oak.

This community is adapted to extreme weather and natural disturbance, and already occupies some of the driest and hottest habitat in the region; all of these reasons suggest that it can adapt to various climate-related stressors.

This community is adapted to extreme weather and natural disturbance, and already occupies some of the driest and hottest habitat in the region. This community is geographically constrained due to these extreme site conditions, which may benefit this community by reducing the encroachment of novel species. However, although this community is generally tolerant of short periods of severe drought, longer or more extreme drought can delay germination or kill seedlings and even long-established trees.

Read more about This community is adapted to extreme weather and natural disturbance, and already occupies some of the driest and hottest habitat in the region; all of these reasons suggest that it can adapt to various climate-related stressors.

Extreme precipitation events may increase the rate of erosion or disintegration of the shale parent material.

This forest community thrives in the hottest, driest, and most exposed slopes underlain by shale and limestone. Because the bedrock sheds water easily, increases in extreme precipitation events may increase erosion or result in the disintegration of shale or limestone downslope.

Read more about Extreme precipitation events may increase the rate of erosion or disintegration of the shale parent material.

Warmer, drier summers are likely to increase the risk of drought and fire in these locations, which would help maintain the open conditions favoring this community type.

The presence of fire, either natural or managed, is an important disturbance process that maintains open conditions in the barrens, glades, and woodlands. This community type can change very quickly in the absence of fire, which may allow eastern red cedarredcedar, red maple, and nonnative buckthorn to establish or increase. Both drought and fire can benefit this community, keeping an open state where it is currently present, and even potentially gaining new habitat where adjacent oak-pine forest declines.

Read more about Warmer, drier summers are likely to increase the risk of drought and fire in these locations, which would help maintain the open conditions favoring this community type.

Insect pests, pathogens, and interactions with drought and other disturbances may cause damage in the near term, with the Asian longhorned beetle posing a serious threat to northern hardwood species.

Ash, hemlock, and beech have already declined on the landscape due to insect pests such as emerald ash borer, hemlock wooly adelgid, and beech bark disease. There are many invasive plant species, insect pests, and forest diseases that have negative impacts on central hardwood-pine forests, many of which are expected to increase through the direct and indirect effects of climate change.

Read more about Insect pests, pathogens, and interactions with drought and other disturbances may cause damage in the near term, with the Asian longhorned beetle posing a serious threat to northern hardwood species.

Invasive species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, garlic mustard, and Japanese stiltgrass are expected to expand in newly formed gaps and compete with native species in northern hardwood forests.

Invasive species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, and garlic mustard are already threats to some forests, and these species are expected to increase in abundance under climate change, particularly where forests are disturbed. Invasive species can also impair regeneration of native species and alter understory and midstory composition.

Read more about Invasive species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, garlic mustard, and Japanese stiltgrass are expected to expand in newly formed gaps and compete with native species in northern hardwood forests.

Deer herbivory is currently limiting to seedling establishment and growth in northern hardwood forests, and deer populations are not expected to change dramatically due to climate alone.

Changes in snowfall amount and duration throughout the assessment area may change the wintertime foraging behavior for herbivores such as white-tailed deer and snowshoe hare. Where present, deer may benefit in many parts of the region as warmer winter temperatures and reduced snow depth increase access to winter forage.

Read more about Deer herbivory is currently limiting to seedling establishment and growth in northern hardwood forests, and deer populations are not expected to change dramatically due to climate alone.

Some northern hardwood species may be more likley to persist or increase through the end of the century , such as red maple, northern red oak, and tulip tree.

These species all tolerate a fairly wide range of conditions. Multiple forest impact models tend to agree that these species are more likely to increase or remain stable in suitable habitat and biomass under a mild climate scenario, but these species may fare worse under a hotter, drier future climate scenario. Red maple is not modeled to change substantially, but its current abundance, biological traits, and ability to respond to disturbance suggest that it may increase.

Read more about Some northern hardwood species may be more likley to persist or increase through the end of the century , such as red maple, northern red oak, and tulip tree.

Northern hardwoods tree species are expected to respond to climate change in different ways. Several dominant tree species are projected to decline, while other species are projected to remain stable or increase.

Multiple forest impact models tend to agree that several species are more likely to decline in suitable habitat and biomass across a range of climate scenarios by the end of the century, including American beech, eastern hemlock (which can form homogenous pockets), and eastern white pine. American basswood, black cherry, sugar maple, and sweet birch are generally projected to decline under the warmer climate scenario only. Northern red oak and tulip tree are projected to remain stable under both low and high climate scenarios.

Read more about Northern hardwoods tree species are expected to respond to climate change in different ways. Several dominant tree species are projected to decline, while other species are projected to remain stable or increase.

High levels of species richness may increase the ability of forests to adapt to climate change.

This forest community is relatively rich in tree species, which may increase the number of ways in which the ecosystem can adjust to changing conditions while maintaining important ecosystem functions. Many tree species are often present, representing a broad mix of tolerances and reproductive strategies. Positive characteristics include a relatively high number of species with broad geographic ranges, large populations, and high genetic diversity. Even as some species decline, others are well-established to fill in the new gaps on a range of sites.

Read more about High levels of species richness may increase the ability of forests to adapt to climate change.

Subscribe to Forest [FAR1]