Disturbances such as drought, flooding, wildfire, and insect outbreaks have the potential to increase in the Central Appalachians. Several ecosystems such as the Appalachian (hemlock)-northern hardwoods and north-central interior beech-maple forest are adapted to frequent gap-phase disturbances, but experience stand-replacing events on the scale of hundreds or thousands of years. Therefore, these systems may be less tolerant of more frequent stand-level disturbances, such as drought or fire. Mesic ecosystems can create conditions that could buffer against fire and drought to some extent. However, even species in mesic ecosystems could decline if soil moisture declines significantly. Forest ecosystems that are more tolerant of drought, flooding, or fire such as dry oak and pine oak forest and woodland will likely be better able to withstand climate-driven disturbances. This principle holds true only to a given point, because it is also possible for disturbance-adapted ecosystems to experience too much disruption. For example, oak and pine ecosystems might cover a greater extent under drier conditions with more frequent fire, but these systems might also convert to barrens or open grasslands if fire becomes too frequent or drought becomes too severe.