Tree species migration studies in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Abstract

The movement of tree species in either latitude or elevation has attracted increased recent attention due to growing national/international concerns over climate change. However, studies on tree species movements began in the early 1970s in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, mostly due to ecological interests in the episodic behavior of upper-elevation tree species on some of the most scenic mountains. Observations taken while making elevational transects appeared to indicate that regeneration of some species was advancing or retreating in relation to the main stand of mature trees. This process was formalized into a graphical model that would predict rates of movement which was then tested on the Bartlett Experimental Forest located in the White Mountain National Forest. This paper describes the several types of migrational models that were developed as well as long-term remeasured plot evidence against significant recent changes in the species distributions.

Keywords

tree species migration, tree species elevation ranges, New England, forest climate-change impacts, mountain ecology, tree migration models

Citation

Leak, William B.; Yamasaki, Mariko. 2012. Tree species migration studies in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Res. Pap. NRS-19. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 8 p.