Forest Sciences Commons^™

The Probability Of Moose Damage At The Stand Level In Southern Finland, Anneli Jalkanen

Aspen Bibliography

The probability of moose damage was studied in sapling stands and young thinning stands in southern Finland. Data from the eighth National Forest Inventory in 1986–92 were used for modelling. The frequency of damage was highest at the height of two to five meters and at the age of ten to twenty years (at the time of measurement). Moose preferred aspen stands the most and least preferred Norway spruce stands. Scots pine and silver birch were also susceptible to damage. Logistic regression models were developed for predicting the probability that moose damage is the most important damaging agent in a …

Heartrot Fungi's Role In Creating Picid Nesting Sites In Living Aspen, J.H. Hart, D.L. Hart

Aspen Bibliography

To determine the number of cavity-containing aspens in old-growth (>80 years), we counted the number of stems containing cavities in 132 0.02-ha plots in Wyoming. There were 8.7 cavities/ha of aspen type. At least 84% of the cavity stems were alive when the initial cavity was constructed; 60% were alive when examined. Fruiting bodies and Phellinus tremulae (a heartrot fungus) were present on 71% of all cavity-bearing stems but on only 9.6% of all stems >15 cm d.b.h. Cavities were present in 7.7% and 0.2% of living stems with and without fruiting bodies, respectively. Average d.b.h. of cavity stems …

Do Pine Trees In Aspen Stands Increase Bird Diversity, Mark A. Rumble, Todd R. Mills, Brian L. Dystra, Lester D. Flake

Aspen Bibliography

In the Black Hills of South Dakota, quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is being replaced by conifers through fire suppression and successional processes. Al- though the Black Hills National forest is removing conifers (primarily ponderosa pine [Pinus ponderosa])toincreasetheaspencommunitiesinsomemixedstands,ForestPlan guidelines allow four conifers per hectare to remain to increase diversity in the remaining aspen stand. We compared bird species richness in pure ponderosa pine, mixed stands dominated by ponderosa pine with quaking aspen, mixed stands dominated by aspen

with ponderosa pine, and pure aspen stands. Stands dominated by ponderosa pine had lower (P

Hydrologic Recovery Of Aspen Clearcuts In Northwestern Alberta, R H. Swanson, R L. Rothwell

Aspen Bibliography

A 3-year study of evapotranspiration from aspen clearcuts 1 to 14 years of age indicated the following: (1) The annual evapotranspiration from 1- to 5-year-old clearcuts ranges from 0 to 143 mm less than a mature forest on the same site. Evapotranspiration is highly dependent upon the amount of precipitation. (2) These effects can vanish in as few as 2 years with low precipitation (300 mm) or persist for 40 to 45 years with high precipitation (600 mm). These results were confirmed by data from the Spring Creek experimental watershed. Simulated water yield increase from the harvested catchment averaged 16 …

Aspen Overstory Recruitment In Northern Yellowstone National Park During The Last 200 Years, Eric J. Larsen, William J. Ripple

Aspen Bibliography

Using a monograph provided by Warren (1926) and two sets of aspen increment cores collected in 1997 and 1998, we analyzed aspen overstory recruitment in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) over the past 200 years. We found that successful aspen overstory recruitment occurred on the northern range of YNP from the middle to late 1700s until the 1920s, after which it essentially ceased. We hypothesized why the browsing influence of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) may be different now than it was historically. At a landscape scale, elk hunting outside YNP may be a significant factor changing elk foraging behavior. At …

First-Year Postfire And Postharvest Soil Temperatures In Aspen And Conifer Stands, Michael C. Amacher, Amber D. Johnson, Debra E. Kutterer, Dale L. Bartos

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands are in decline throughout the Interior Western United States because of fire suppression, overbrowsing by domestic livestock and native ungulates, and forest succession. We measured summertime soil temperatures in stable aspen, decadent aspen, and mixed aspen/conifer stands; a mixed aspen/conifer clearcut; as mixed aspen/conifer forest that was burned in a lightning-caused fire; and a decadent aspen stand and mixed aspen/conifer stand that received prescribed burns. Soil temperature fluctuations and mean soil temperatures were greater in cut and burned areas than in untreated stands. In untreated stands, mean soil temperature increased in the order: mixed …

Nitrogen Mineralization In Aspen/Conifer Soils After A Natural Fire, M.C. Amacher, D.L. Bartos, T. Christopherson, A.D. Johnson, D.E. Kutterer

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Landscape Dynamics Of Aspen And Conifer Forests, D.L. Bartos

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Persistence Of Aspen Regeneration Near The National Elk Refuge And Gros Ventre Valley Elk Feedgrounds Of Wyoming, D.T. Barnett, T.J. Stohlgren

Aspen Bibliography

We investigated aspen (Populus tremuloides) regeneration in the Gros Ventre River Valley, the National Elk Refuge, and a small part of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, to see if elk (Cervus elaphus) browsing was as damaging as previously thought. We conducted a landscape-scale survey to assess aspen regeneration across gradients of wintering elk concentrations using 68 randomly selected aspen stands in the 1,090 km2 study area. Forty-four percent of the stands sampled supported regeneration of saplings (stems greater than 2 m in height but less than 10 cm in diameter). There were no significant differences of regeneration across elk winter …

Predicting Nest Success From Habitat Features In Aspen Forests Of The Central Rocky Mountains, H.M. Struempf, D.M. Finch, G. Hayward, S. Anderson

Aspen Bibliography

We collected nesting data on bird use of aspen stands in the Routt and Medicine Bow National Forests between 1987 and 1989. We found active nest sites of 28 species of small nongame birds on nine study plots in undisturbed aspen forests. We compared logistic regression models predicting nest success (at least one nestling) from nest-site or stand-level habitat predictors. Most common species used nest sites in aspen trees in forest interior locations (distance to edge >100 m), with dense trees (opening >100 m away) despite no apparent positive correlation with use of these habitat features and nest success rates. …

Aspen Response To Prescribed Fire And Wild Ungulate Herbivory, Steve Kilpatrick, Diane Abendroth

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Burned Aspen Communities In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Charles E. Kay

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen has been declining in Jackson Hole for many years, a condition generally attributed to the fact that lightning fires have been aggressively suppressed since the early 1900s. It is also believed that burning will successfully regenerate aspen stands despite high elk numbers. To test this hypothesis, I evaluated 467 burned and 495 adjacent, unburned aspen stands at eight different locations within Jackson Hole. Aspen suckering was stimulated by burning, but most aspen stands still failed to produce new stems greater than 2 m tall where ungulate use was moderate or high. Only when elk use was low were burned …

Growth And Phenology Of Hybrid Aspen Clones (Populus Tremula L. X Populus Tremuloides Michx.), Qibin Yu, P.M.A. Tigerstedt, Matti Haapenen

Aspen Bibliography

Height, basal diameter, diameter at breast height, bud burst, and leaf development were recorded in a 5-year-old hybrid aspen clonal trial. The field trial consisted of four aspen hybrid clones (Populus tremula x Populus tremuloides) and one local P. tremula seedling source. Phenological traits were observed in the 3rd year. Growth patterns were recorded during the 3rd and 4th years. Phenological traits were explored in relation to hybrid vigor expressed as growth traits. Differences were observed for phenological and growth traits among hybrid clones and P. tremula. The growth period varied from 143–158 days for the four hybrid clones, and …

Quaking Aspen Reproduce From Seed After Wildfire In The Mountains Of Southeastern Arizona, Ronald D. Quinn, Lin Wu

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen regenerated from seed after a stand replacement wildfire in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The wildfire had created gaps in the canopy so that aspen were able to establish from seed. Seedlings were found at a mean density of 0.17 m–2, 30 m or more from the nearest potential seed trees. Six clumps of aspen seedlings contained 18–186 trees, occupying areas of 145–500 square meters at densities of 0.09-0.27 m–2. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browsed 14.3% of the seedlings. Occasional sexual reproduction of aspen may be a general trait of the species throughout the western portion of …

The Effect Of Aspen Wood Characteristics And Properties On Utilization, Kurt H. Mackes, Dennis L. Lynch

Aspen Bibliography

This paper reviews characteristics and properties of aspen wood, including anatomical structure and characteristics, moisture and shrinkage properties, weight and specific gravity, mechanical properties, and processing characteristics. Uses of aspen are evaluated: sawn and veneer products, composite panels, pulp, excelsior, post and poles, animal bedding, animal food supplements, fuel applications, and novelties. Aspen is a preferred species for paneling, veneer products including matchsticks and chopsticks, waferboard and oriented strandboard (OSB), fiberboard, pulp, excelsior, research animal bedding, animal food supplements, and tourist or gift items.

Predation Risk And Elk-Aspen Foraging Patterns, C.A. White, M.C. Feller

Aspen Bibliography

Elk-aspen foraging patterns may be influenced by cover type, distance from roads or trails, the type of user on road or trail (park visitor, human hunter, or predator), and two general states of aspen condition (open-grown or thicket). Pellet group and browse utilization transects in the Canadian Rockies showed that elk were attracted to roads used by park visitors and avoided by wolves, and that elk possibly avoided aspen and conifer patches near backcountry trails used by wolves. In high predation risk landscapes, aspen stands were dense, lightly browsed, and rarely entered by elk. As risk decreased, elk density and …

Aspen Restoration In The Blue Mountains Of Northeast Oregon, D.M. Shirley, V. Erickson

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Sustaining Aspen In Western Landscapes: Symposium Proceedings, Wayne D. Shepperd, Dan Binkley, Dale L. Bartos, Thomas J. Stohlgren, Lane G. Eskew

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Basic Tree-Ring Sample Preparation Techniques For Aging Aspen, L.A. Asherin, S.A. Mata

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen is notoriously difficult to age because of its light-colored wood and faint annual growth rings. Careful preparation and processing of aspen ring samples can overcome these problems, yield accurate age and growth estimates, and concisely date disturbance events present in the tree-ring record. Proper collection of aspen wood is essential in obtaining usable ring data. Mounting of increment cores and sawn disk samples to wood backings holds samples rigid for easy surfacing. Sequential use of planers, belt sanders, and an assortment of sanding material on the surface of aspen core and disk samples can enhance visibility of tree rings. …

Aspen Ecosystems: Objectives For Sustaining Biodiversity, R.B. Campbell, D.L. Bartos

Aspen Bibliography

Recognizing the historical abundance of major vegetation cover types is the foundation for estimating the magnitude and significance of conversion from one cover type to another and the proportion of existing cover types that are in properly functioning condition. Techniques to determine desired conditions are discussed. Existing situations for the need to treat ecosystems where aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) occur are prioritized: highest—mixed-conifer with aspen but where conifers comprise greater than 50% of the canopy; high—aspen/sagebrush transition; and moderate—aspen dominated landscapes. Though aspen stands are evaluated, aspen landscapes are discussed in the context of aggregations of many stands. Within …

Ecology And Management Of Aspen: A Lake States Perspective, D.T. Cleland, L.A. Leefers, D.I. Dickmann, L.G. Eskew

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen has been an ecologically important, though relatively minor, compo- nent of the Lake States (Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) forests for millennia. General Land Office records from the 1800s indicate that aspen comprised a small fraction of the region’s eastern forests, but was more extensive on the western edge. Then Euro-American settlement in the 1800s brought land clearing, timber harvesting, and subsequent widespread wildfires that increased aspen-birch acreages consider- ably. Although aspen-birch acreage has declined since the 1930s, it remains the region’s second most prevalent forest type. Aspen management is probably the most contentious issue confronting forest managers in the …

Mycorrhizal Fungi Of Aspen Forests: Natural Occurrence And Potential Applications, C.L. Cripps

Aspen Bibliography

Native mycorrhizal fungi associated with aspen were surveyed on three soil types in the north-central Rocky Mountains. Selected isolates were tested for the ability to enhance aspen seedling growth in vitro. Over 50 species of ectomycorrhizal fungi occur with Populus tremuloides in this region, primarily basidiomycete fungi in the Agaricales. Almost one-third (30%) were ubiquitous with aspen and were found on all three soil types. Over one-third (37%) were restricted to the acidic, sandy soil of the smelter-impacted Butte-Anaconda area, revealing a subset of fungi that tolerate these conditions. Mycorrhizal fungi were screened for their ability to enhance aspen growth …

Changes In Landscape Patterns And Associated Forest Succession On The Western Slope Of The Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Daniel James Manier, Richard D. Laven

Aspen Bibliography

Using repeat photography, we conducted a qualitative and quantitative analysis of changes in forest cover on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. For the quantitative analysis, both images in a pair were classified using remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technologies. Comparisons were made using three landscape metrics: total relative cover, mean relative patch size, and number of patches per major vegetation type. We noted several important changes in the pattern of the landscape and the structure of the forests. The relative area covered by interspersed, nonforested rangelands has decreased significantly, and the total forest cover …

Aspen Fencing In Northern Arizona: A 15-Year Perspective, James M. Rolf

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen clearcuts in the 1960s and 1970s on the Peaks Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest in northern Arizona failed to regenerate successfully because of browsing primarily by elk. Since 1985, over 400 acres have been successfully regenerated using fencing of various designs to exclude elk. The expense and visual impact of establishing and maintaining over 20 miles of fence along with continued damage to aspen greater than 3.0 inches d.b.h. outside the fenced areas have resulted in the Arizona Game and Fish Department increasing the elk hunting permits by 400% in an effort to reduce the elk herd …

Aspen's Ecological Role In The West, William H. Romme, Lisa Floyd-Hanna, David D. Hanna, Elisabeth Bartlett

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen exhibits a variety of ecological roles. In southern Colorado, the 1880 landscape mosaic contained a range of stand ages, of which half were >70 years old and half were younger. Pure aspen stands in southern Colorado are widespread and may result from previous short fire intervals that eliminated local conifer seed sources. Aspen regeneration in northern Yellowstone Park is controlled by ungulate browsing pressure and fire, so it has been limited since 1920. However, an episode of aspen seedling establishment occurred after the 1988 fires. We urgently need additional detailed, local case studies of aspen ecology to inform management …

Quaking Aspen And The Human Experience: Dimensions, Issues, And Challenges, Stephen F. Mccool

Aspen Bibliography

Humans assign four types of meanings to aspen landscapes: (1) instrumen- tal meanings dealing with the attainment of a goal—such as production of pulp or provision of recreation opportunities; (2) aesthetic meanings; (3) cultural/symbolic meanings dealing with spiritual and social attachments to landscapes; and (4) individual/expressive meanings derived out of interactions with aspen landscapes at the personal level. The amount of knowledge available for each meaning varies, with most knowledge developed for instrumental meanings. Management of aspen occurs within a dynamic social and political context, with greater emphasis being placed on the latter two meanings, but without the empirical, positivist …

Restoration Of Aspen-Dominated Ecosystems In The Lake States, Douglas M. Stone, John D. Elioff, Donald V. Potter, Donald B. Peterson, Robert Wagner

Aspen Bibliography

A reserve tree method (RTM) of harvesting was installed in six 70 to 75 year old aspen dominated stands to determine if retaining 10 to 15 dominant aspen per acre would decrease sucker density to facilitate restoration of a conifer component. A reserve shelterwood cut was applied to three additional stands to evaluate performance of white pine planted under 50% crown cover. After the first full growing season following harvest, 96% of the RTM harvested areas were stocked; sucker density averaged 27000 per acre versus 38.2 k per acre on a clearcut control, 41% greater. Basal diameter of dominant suckers …

Multiple Factors Affect Aspen Regeneration On The Uncompahgre Plateau, West-Central Colorado, Barry C. Johnston

Aspen Bibliography

In 1996, I inventoried over 90 aspen stands in 12 timber sales that had been clearcut >3 years previously. Units that regenerated adequately were larger, had higher slope angles, and had soils with a thick Mollic surface layer. Units that regenerated inadequately often had plant species that indicated high water tables. The factors associated with inadequate regeneration were high water tables, heavy browsing, soils with a thin Mollic surface layer, and logging practices that compact large portions of the unit. One of these factors alone often does not lead to inadequate aspen sprouting. Most often, inadequately regenerated aspen stands have …

Landscape-Scale Dynamics Of Aspen In Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Margot W. Kaye, Kuni Suzuki, Dan Binkley, Thomas J. Stohlgren

Aspen Bibliography

Past studies of quaking aspen in Rocky Mountain National Park suggested that the aspen population is declining due to intensive browsing by elk (Cervus elaphus). These studies were conducted in the elk winter range, an area of intensive elk impact. The elk summer range experiences less intense grazing pressure. We tested the hypothesis that impacts of elk would be greater in the elk winter range than the summer range with landscape-scale data from the Park. The detrimental effects of elk on aspen are highly localized and, at larger spatial scales, elk browsing does not seem to be influencing the aspen …

Long-Term Aspen Exclosures In The Yellowstone Ecosystem, Charles E. Kay

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen has been declining in the Yellowstone Ecosystem for more than 80 years. Some authors have suggested that aspen is a marginal plant community in Yellowstone and that recent climatic variation has adversely affected aspen, while others contend that excessive browsing by native ungulates is primarily responsible for aspen’s widespread decline. To test these hypotheses, I measured all the long-term aspen exclosures (n = 14) in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Aspen stands inside all exclosures successfully produced new stems greater than 2 m tall without fire or other disturbance, while few outside stands successfully regenerated due to repeated browsing. Understory species …