Montane spruce-fir forests are especially vulnerable at lower elevations or more southern latitude

Submitted by Maria on

The presence of this forest at high latitudes and elevations presents little opportunity for the community to move to new habitats. This is particularly true in southern New England, where this community is highly fragmented and exists primarily on isolated mountaintops. A temperature increase of 5 °F could eliminate all habitat from Massachusetts. Less substantial impacts are projected to be less in the northern part of the assessment area, such as in Maine, where the dominant species are expected to persist in some areas.