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Summary Of The Nine Chapters Of The Pine Barrens

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Throughout the nine chapters of The Pine Barrens, John McPhee explores three themes connected to the effects of climate change: development, natural resources, and community resilience. Written in the 1960s, McPhee’s writing paints an intimate picture of the life in the Pinelands, long misunderstood and misrepresented by outsiders. Through nine chapters, the stories of persistence and change demonstrate the strength of Pine Barrens communities, despite the many threats they have faced. Exploring these key themes, it becomes clear how the Pinelands region has many lessons to teach outsiders when it comes to addressing climate change. Development is an ongoing threat to the Pinelands, which wears down the edges of the region. Residential and …show more content…

The introduction of non-native species, like lawn grasses and trees planted by developers, can alter the landscape and encroach into the surrounding wilderness. As McPhee notes, development also triggers the spread of less desirable plants such as poison ivy, which are otherwise absent from the Pine Barrens. Next are the endemic species in the Pinelands-- the flowers, mosses, birds, fish, frogs, and snakes that are either entirely unique to the region or are only found halfway across the world. Because of their limited distribution, development that endangers the habitat, migration, or nutrient access of these species could quickly lead to extinction. With pressure from development on top of the effects of climate change, there is a notable threat to the biological diversity and ecological resilience of the Pine …show more content…

Altered salinity from sea level rise—along with other changes in water quality and quantity—negatively affects plants, reptiles, and fish adapted to the ecosystem. The success of blueberry crops in particular, cultivated to the sandy and acidic conditions of Pine Barrens soils, are vulnerable to land degradation and temperature fluctuations. And for seasonal activities, increased annual temperatures plus more extreme weather patterns alter the availability of certain resources throughout the year. Beyond the economic benefits of naturally occurring goods, climate change threatens ecosystem dynamics and

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