This type is strongly associated with the coldest and most extreme climates. Reductions in snowpack may reduce soil moisture availability in the spring or increase the probability of root damage during freeze-thaw events. Increases in extreme storm events may lead to enhanced tree mortality from disturbance. At the same time, this type does have some adaptive capacity due to its ability to out-compete many other species, its capacity to persist on cold and nutrient-poor sites, and its recent signs of recovering from past stressors such as acid rain and logging that previously reduced its extent.