Atlas of current and potential future distributions of common trees of the eastern United States

This atlas documents the current and possible future distribution of 80 common tree species in the Eastern United States and gives detailed information on environmental characteristics defining these distributions. Also included are outlines of life history characteristics and summary statistics for these species. Much of the data are derived from Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data, analyzed in concert with 33 environmental variables within a geographic information system. Life history information, including regeneration and disturbance characteristics, were generated via the literature and are provided in data base format. Summary statistics offer an overall perspective on the tree species of the eastern United States. Regression tree analysis models were constructed to determine possible future habitat for each species under two scenarios of global climate change. Results show that, depending on the scenario, 4-8 of the 80 species could be extirpated from the Eastern United States after climate change. Appendices provide information on the data and methods used, including demonstration of a migration model.