Posted on 03/12/2018 9:28:04 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
BENEDICTA, Maine - An autumn drive through the rugged forests of New England and eastern Canada presents a convincing case that this is the place where postcard images are made.
Looking deeper, biologists see red flags and hear the clanging of alarm bells.
“When I see that forest, I see change,” said Justin Richardson, a biogeochemist and assistant professor in the University of Massachusetts.
Mr. Richardson, who conducted extensive research on the changing climate and its impact on the forests of the region as part of his doctoral work in Dartmouth College’s Department of Earth Sciences, led a 2016 study that concluded climate change is prompting a makeover of the forests of greater New England.
His study concluded that certain climate scenarios project that the stands of coniferous trees in that part of the country will lose 70 to 100 percent of their current range to deciduous trees by 2085 because of increased temperature and precipitation, as well as changes in timber harvesting.
Besides the accompanying impact on the many birds and mammals that utilize this diverse forest habitat, Mr. Richardson said, the climate-related change in the forest will likely alter the way the trees in the region cycle nutrients and store toxic metals in their underlying soil, since coniferous trees hold these materials in the ground for longer periods of time.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Well, we know climate change created the Great Lakes.
If they’re seeing “red flags” and “hearing bells clanging”, they might want to go see an eye doctor, an ear doctor or a shrink.
Most of the area described here was under a thick sheet of ice up until 10,000 years ago — which is barely a blip of time in geological ages.
let’s be real....the ne has 3 times the trees as 200 years ago.....iirc
Good. Fall foliage is overrated.
Yeah, ever since the glaciers covering what is now New England receded, leading to the temperate climate that is there now.
Got to laugh acid rain was supposed to wipe out these same forests decades ago.
Forests ALWAYS change. What a maroon, that guy.
Or the change could NOT alter the forest. But I can’t see that. Too many trees in the way. ;-)
Stop injecting facts into this topic.
“Good. Fall foliage is overrated. “
Coniferous trees don’t get foliage———this will be better for fall foliage.
.
No way. Not slowly. I’d say by April.
Sounds like they found their man made causation, and it ain't global warming. Add trees to the list of natural resources that have a "peak" limit I guess.
...Climate change could slowly alter Northeast forests...
Yes, Cyclical building and receding glaciers and weath r changes do alter the terrain . How many millions has Al Gore and a few others made on the man made climate change farce? To what extremes are they willing to go to keep the cash flowing? It’s all about money and control.
“Forests ALWAYS change”
Hence petrified redwoods in Arizona.
My understanding is that when the colonists first arrived, New England was largely conifers. The colonists chopped down a lot of trees (clearing land for agriculture, fuel, and ship-building, housing, etc.). As the conifers were harvested, sugar maples and other deciduous trees began to proliferate.
And there was the Chestnut Blight. And there was Dutch Elm disease.
The forests have been changing forever. Climate Change is an assertion not based on facts.
More of a danger to NE forest is invasive species and unchecked deer. In NW NJ, we have tons of barberry, Russian Olive, etc. Also, because hunting deer is “mean”, they eat all the underbrush. All this leads to an unhealthy forest.
Also, in NJ, we have far too many democrats. They are just unhealthy to be around as well.
When I was in school, “Earth Science” is what ‘tards, who were incapable of Chemistry or Physics, used to fulfill their “science” graduation requirement.
Except that once Global Warming really kicks in, there will be no more fall or winter seasons. Deciduous trees will stay green all year, and they will happily thrive on all the extra CO2.
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