Previous human influences, including fragmentation, may have reduced the adaptive capacity of some transition hardwood forests.

This forest type is often located in areas that have (or have had) higher levels of human disturbance; fragmentation, invasive species, or other stressors may have reduced the capacity of forests in some locations to cope with changing conditions. Further, trends toward more mesic tree species and a lack of future-adapted regeneration species like oak may reduce adaptive capacity.