Chapter 4 Habitats
Table 4.4.13-1 Climate change compared to other threats to montane oak forests.
Rank Order
Threat
Comments
2 Past effects of Chestnut Blight, likely future effects of Gypsy Moth, and potential introduction of Sudden Oak Death make this a severe threat. The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid’s range is likely to expand as a result of climate change (Paradis et al. 2007) . 3 Future climate is expected to include warmer temperatures, longer growing seasons, likely more hot spells and drought, and more severe storms. Mountainous regions are expected to experience some of the highest temperature changes. Orographic cloud cover, storms, and fog are less crucial in these communities than in those of the higher elevations but are probably still significant. Since the readily available climate models don't account for these effects, the future climate experienced by these communities remains very uncertain.
Invasive Species
Climate Change
4.4.13.5 Impacts to Wildlife Appendix 3 provides a list of SGCN and other priority species for which there are knowledge gaps and management concerns. Appendices 3-17 (wildlife) and 3-22 (plants) identify SGCN that depend on or are associated with this habitat type. No endemic species are associated with montane oak forests. Only three moths associated with this ecosystem group appear to be major disjuncts. Montane species adapted to cooler high- elevation sites may become locally extinct in the lower elevations of their range as temperature gradients change ( DeWan et al. 2010 ). Many species (e.g., Black-capped Chickadees, Green Salamanders, Seepage Salamanders, Crevice Salamanders, and Wehrle’s Salamanders) have such a small range or clumped distribution within North Carolina that they are more susceptible to stochastic or genetic population declines or local extirpations than anticipated climate change impacts. Timber Rattlesnakes and other snake species are also subjected to persecution, which is an immediate threat. Many neotropical migrant birds may also be experiencing winter range habitat loss. Since there is such abundance and diversity of species associated with oak forests, we may not know the exact habitat or life history requirements of individual species that are limiting factors to their population stability.
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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