Forests and Climate Change in the Southeast USA

Steve McNulty; Peter V. Caldwell; Thomas W. Doyle; Kurt Johnsen; Yongqiang Liu; Jacqueline Mohan; Jeffrey P. Prestemon; Ge Sun

doi:10.5822/978-1-61091-509-0_8

Treesearch

Forests and Climate Change in the Southeast USA

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Steve McNulty, Peter V. Caldwell, Thomas W. Doyle, Kurt Johnsen, Yongqiang Liu, Jacqueline Mohan, Jeffrey P. Prestemon, Ge Sun

Year:

2013

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Southern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5822/978-1-61091-509-0_8

Source:

In: Ingram, K.; Dow, K.; Carter, L.; Anderson, J., eds. 2013. Climate of the Southeast United States: Variability, change, impacts, and vulnerability. Washington, DC: Island Press. 165-189.

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Abstract

Key Findings Warming air temperatures will likely increase regional drying regardless of changes in precipitation, and this drying will likely increase wildfire risk across southeastern USA forests. Longer growing seasons will likely increase the risk of insect outbreak and very likely will expand the northern range of some species such as the southern pine beetle. Continued increases in metropolitan populations coupled with increase water use by forests will likely cause more frequent and severe regional and local water shortages. Despite climate and demographic derived changes, forests in the southeastern USA will likely continue to provide a sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Citation

McNulty, Steven; Caldwell, Peter; Doyle, Thomas W.; Johnsen, Kurt; Liu, Yongqiang; Mohan, Jacqueline; Prestemon, Jeffrey; Sun, Ge. 2013. Forests and Climate Change in the Southeast USA. In: Ingram, K.; Dow, K.; Carter, L.; Anderson, J., eds. 2013. Climate of the Southeast United States: Variability, change, impacts, and vulnerability. Washington, DC: Island Press. 165-189.