Another Warmist talking point down the drain. What’s funny is this comes from Penn State, home of Michael “Hockey Schtick” Mann
(PSU News) Change in disturbance regimes — rather than a change in climate — is largely responsible for altering the composition of Eastern forests, according to a researcher in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
Forests in the Eastern United States remain in a state of “disequilibrium” stemming from the clear-cutting and large-scale burning that occurred in the late 1800s and early 1900s, contends Marc Abrams, professor of forest ecology and physiology.
Moreover, Abrams noted, since about 1930 — during the Smokey Bear era — aggressive forest-fire suppression has had a far greater influence on shifts in dominant tree species than minor differences in temperature.
“Looking at the historical development of Eastern forests, the results of the change in types of disturbances — both natural and man-caused — are much more significant than any change in climate,” said Abrams, who is the Steimer Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.
“Over the last 50 years, most environmental science has focused on the impact of climate change. In some systems, however, climate change impacts have not been as profound as in others. This includes the forest composition of the eastern U.S.”
The very fact is, changes in climate will have some effects. And, the Earth is in a constant state of flux. During the Holocene, for one, there have been swings between warm and cool, with pauses, as well as short term cooling/warming during the cool/warm periods. The debate is not about climatic changes, which occur, but causation. Warmists hyperventilate that the current changes are mostly/solely caused by Mankind. Skeptics say it is mostly/solely caused be nature. Interestingly, the Warmists are so concerned that they mostly refuse to take even token measures in their own lives to reduce their “carbon footprints”.
Also, interestingly, what Professor Abrams is partly referring to is land use, which can have a profound affect on more localized climate (micro-climate), which creates false readings for global aspects.
