Lowland conifer forests may have limited tolerance to changes in precipitation and water tables. Prolonged flooding may exceed the tolerance of some species, and increased drought risk is also a serious threat.

This forested wetland community is limited to areas that remain wetter and cooler than adjacent uplands. They occur in a range of hydrologic and soil conditions which are expected to be disturbed through increased severe precipitation events and flooding, increased risk of drought, and changes in the water table or relative influence of precipitation versus groundwater. Historical land use has already resulted in altered hydrology in some locations; this legacy will likely continue to stress the system as the precipitation regime changes.