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Projected increases in air and at temperatures will au, heat-related stresses for people, plants, and animall The warming projected for the Southeast during the next 50 to 100 years will create heat - related stress for people, agricultural crops, livestock, trees, transportation and other infrastructure, fish, and wildlife. The average temperature change is not as important for all of these sectors and natu- ral systems as the projected increase in maximum and minimum temperatures. Examples of potential impacts include: • Increased illness and death due to greater summer heat stress, unless effective adaptation measures are implemented .164 • Decline in forest growth and agricultural crop production due to the combined effects of ther- mal stress and declining soil moisture.39' • Increased buckling of pavement and railways. 217,222 • Decline in dissolved oxygen in stream, lakes, and shallow aquatic habitats leading to fish kills and loss of aquatic species diversity. • Decline in production of cattle and other rangeland livestock.391 Significant impacts on beef cattle occur at continuous temperatures in the 90 to 100 °F range, increasing in danger as the humidity level increases (see Agricul- ture sector).391 Poultry and swine are primarily raised in indoor operations, so warming would increase energy requirements 193 A reduction in very cold days is likely to reduce the loss of human life due to cold - related stress, while heat stress and related deaths in the sum- mer months are likely to increase. The reduction in cold - related deaths is not expected to offset the increase in heat - related deaths (see Human Health sector). Other effects of the projected increases in temperature include more frequent outbreaks of shellfish -borne diseases in coastal waters, altered distribution of native plants and animals, local loss of many threatened and endangered species, displacement of native species by invasive species, and more frequent and intense wildfires. somm Decreased a availability affect likely to economy as well a s its natural Decreased water availability due to increased temperature and longer periods of time between rainfall events, coupled with an increase in societal demand is very likely to affect many sectors of the Southeast's economy. The amount and timing of water available to natural systems is also affected by climate change, as well as by human response strategies such as increasing storage capacity (dams)142 and increasing acreage of irrigated crop- 192 The 2007 water shortage in the Atlanta re- gion created serious conflicts between three states, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (which operates the dam at Lake Lanier), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is charged with protecting endangered species. As humans seek to adapt to climate change by manipulating water resources, streamflow and biological diversity are likely to be reduced .142 During droughts, recharge of ground- water will decline as the temperature and spacing between rainfall events increase. Responding by increasing groundwater pumping will further stress or deplete aquifers and place increasing strain on surface water resources. Increasing evaporation and plant water loss rates alter the balance of runoff and groundwater recharge, which is likely to lead to saltwater intrusion into shallow aquifers in many parts of the Southeast. 142 In Atlanta and Athens, Georgia, 2007 was the second driest year on record. Among the numerous effects of the rainfall shortage were restrictions on water use in some cities and lowwater levels in area lakes. In the photo, a dock lies on dry land near Aqualand Marina on Lake Lanier (located northeast of Atlanta) in December 2007. 113