Addendum 2
Chapter 4 Habitats
The occurrence of invasive and non-native plants is a problem for oak — hickory forests in some places and is likely to continue to spread. Princess tree and tree-of-heaven can invade disturbed areas and occupy canopy gaps in some places. Autumn olive has come to dominate the shrub layer in some forests, and species such as trifoliate orange represent a potential threat. Several herbaceous exotic plants also invade these forests, particularly those with basic soils. It is unclear if a warmer climate will exacerbate their spread; however, increased canopy disturbance by wind, drought mortality, or severe fire will hasten the spread of invasive species. Most oak forests are tolerant of drought. Increased occurrence or longer periods of drought may favor oaks relative to weedy mesophytic species, but increased wind damage favors the understory species. If drought leads to severe wildfires, it would be harmful to oak forests, but the ease with which fires may usually be controlled in them makes this unlikely. Increased wind throw would probably favor existing understory maples over the long-lived oaks. Older trees will withstand fire better than younger ones but will be more susceptible to wind. Increased wind throw would reduce the average longevity of trees. The most severe droughts and hot spells of recent record have had only limited effects on oak forests. These forest types occupy the driest places on the Piedmont landscape. In general, the effects of drought, fire, and storm winds are small relative to the effects of development and logging.
4.4.19.4 Climate Change Compared to Other Threats
Climate change is far from the most significant threat to Piedmont and Coastal Plain Oak Forests. Similar oak forests range well to the south of North Carolina where conditions are similar to predicted future climate conditions. Direct effects of the warmer climate on these communities are likely to be limited and may even reduce some of the increase in mesophytic species. If fires increase, this may be beneficial, but an increase in intense fire would be harmful. Most fire that will occur will be from controlled burning, but weather conditions that make burning more difficult will be detrimental as it limits application opportunities. Most or all rare plants in this group are likely to benefit from more canopy openings and more fire.
2022 Addendum 2
4A2- 6
NC Wildlife Action Plan
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