Description
2013The forests in northern Michigan will be affected directly and indirectly by changing climate during the 21st century. This assessment evaluates the vulnerability of forest ecosystems in the eastern Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan under a range of future climates. We synthesized and summarized information on the contemporary landscape, provided information on past climate trends, and described a range of projected future climates. This information was used to parameterize and run multiple vegetation impact models, which provided a range of potential vegetative responses to climate. Finally, we brought these results before a multidisciplinary panel of scientists and land managers familiar with Michigan forests to assess ecosystem vulnerability through a formal consensus-based expert elicitation process.
