ABSTRACT
Humans have dramatically altered North American landscapes during the past several thousand years, particularly during the last century. Biological diversity in temperate regions has been reduced through resource exploitation and habitat loss, resulting in smaller populations of many terrestrial and aquatic taxa. If a local habitat becomes unfavorable for an animal due to climate change, human-caused alterations may interrupt migration routes to another favorable habitat. Much of the recent literature on climate change portrays a “gloom and doom” future for biological and social systems. As biological systems adjust to climate change with a redistribution of resources, social systems and economies may also respond with a period of reorganization. The northern latitudes of North America contain a large proportion of lands that remain relatively unaltered by humans. Small human populations and harsh climate have reduced the impact of humans on the integrity of natural ecosystems.
