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Natural Disasters
Environmental expert Janine Bloomfield points out the destruction of forests caused by natural disasters due to global warming. Climate change is not limited to temperature. It brings catastrophic events such as forest fires, droughts, floods, landslides and windstorms. Insect populations can also increase. This combination creates a devastating effect on temperate forests in the United States, which can "increase tree mortality and, in some cases, replace forests by grasslands."
Mixed Effects
Some effects, such as increased carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxide, can be beneficial to temperate forest growth. However, Bloomfield points out that these gains are easily reduced or nullified by the side effects of such changes. Increased CO2 does help forests grow, but a lack of moisture and reduced nutrients can render this ineffective. Fossils fuels also emit nitrogen oxide, stimulating forest growth. Again, however, this chemical also causes acid rain, reducing the health and productivity of forests.
Tree Migration
Bloomfield writes that outright destruction is not the only thing that can happen to temperate forests. In some cases, they will migrate, reducing their location and size. She hypothesizes that "If the average global temperature increase is 2 degrees C over the next 100 years, tree species will have to migrate 1 to 3 miles every year..." The biological diversity of these forests could possible suffer as well.
Specific Areas
Bloomfield warns that from the Appalachian range to West Virginia, the maple, beech and birch forests could eventually disappear. The upper Great Lakes can suffer as well, with the region losing its aspen and birch forests. She explains that mild, gradual global warming will result in those forests being replaced by oak, pine and hickory. However, dramatic change will likely result in their complete destruction from disasters and insect infestation.