4.4 Terrestrial Communities
Green Salamanders). Tat could lead to increasing chances of genetic depression or sto- chastic events having negative consequences for the sustainability of populations. Some bird species which require a diverse understory may be impacted by the aging of stands, which can result in decreased plant diversity until the stand reaches age classes sufcient to produce canopy gaps (Hunter et al. 2001a) . Junaluska and Tellico salamanders are highly restricted to habitats within this ecosystem group. Both occupy extremely small global ranges and are likely to be strongly afected by increased drought-, fre-, or storm-created openings in the canopy. Several other salaman- ders with extremely limited global ranges also have signifcant amounts of habitat within this community and are also likely to be threatened by the same set of climate change fac- tors. Te same is true for several species of Lepidoptera (such as the Dusky Azure) that are associated with mesic habitats and occur in the southern Appalachians as major disjuncts from the north. Some high-elevation cove forests now serve as refugia for species for which the current climate in lower areas in North Carolina is not suitable. Tey are likely to continue to do so, but warming temperature and changed moisture regimes may make some of them less hospitable to some of these species. At the same time, these communities may become refugia for additional species that are currently common, if the regional climate becomes unsuitable for them. Tey may be crucial for the survival of some species in the state. 4.4.4.6 Recommendations Rich cove forests host a great diversity of trees and herbs, and provide habitat for a large number of rare plant species in North Carolina. Climate change is not expected to be a major threat to these species overall. While many examples of cove forests are protected from development and logging, protecting more examples would help these communities weather climate change. It would reduce the loss of acreage as protected examples shrink, and would allow larger, more robust populations of their species to survive. Landscape connectivity will become more important as individual patches become smaller. Surveys. Distributional and status surveys need to focus on species believed to be declin- ing or mainly dependent on at-risk or sensitive natural communities. • Direct initial eforts toward surveys to determine current baseline distribution and status of species associated with cove hardwood forest for which that information is lacking. • Focus initial survey eforts on state-listed species and others that may be declining,- such as the Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Brown Creeper, Black-billed Cuckoo,
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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