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Stable or seral? Fire-driven alternative states in aspen forests of western North America

Publications Posted on: August 19, 2019
As important centres for biological diversity, aspen forests are essential to the function and aesthetics of montane ecosystems in western North America. Aspen stands are maintained by a nuanced relationship with wildfire, although in recent decades aspen mortality has increased.

Historic range of variability for upland vegetation in the Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming

Publications Posted on: August 01, 2018
An approach for synthesizing the results of ecological research pertinent to land management is the analysis of the historic range of variability (HRV) for key ecosystem variables that are affected by management activities. This report provides an HRV analysis for the upland vegetation of the Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming.

Historic range of variability for upland vegetation in the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming

Publications Posted on: August 01, 2018
An approach for synthesizing the results of ecological research pertinent to land management is the analysis of the historic range of variability (HRV) for key ecosystem variables that are affected by management activities. This report provides an HRV analysis for the upland vegetation of the Bighorn National Forest in northcentral Wyoming.

Can aspen persist in conifer dominated forests?

Publications Posted on: September 27, 2017
In 1998 we measured a large, old aspen in a mixed spruce-fir-aspen forest on the Utah State University T.W. Daniel Experimental Forest in northern Utah. The tree was 297 years old - about the same age as the oldest spruce in the stand.

Climate variability and fire effects on quaking aspen in the central Rocky Mountains, USA

Publications Posted on: January 30, 2017
Our understanding of how climate and fire have impacted quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) communities prior to the 20th century is fairly limited. This study analysed the period between 4500 and 2000 cal. yr BP to assess the pre-historic role of climate and fire on an aspen community during an aspen-dominated period.

Influence of climate on the growth of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) in Colorado and southern Wyoming

Publications Posted on: January 10, 2017
We analyzed a series of increment cores collected from 260 adult dominant or co-dominant quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) trees from national forests across Colorado and southern Wyoming in 2009 and 2010. Half of the cores were collected from trees in stands with a high amount of crown dieback, and half were from lightly damaged stands.

Fading Gold: The Decline of Aspen in the West

Pages Posted on: October 20, 2016
"Fading Gold: The Decline of Aspen in the West" is a 12-minute video/DVD available from the Rocky Mountain Research Station. The species has declined across the West from 9 million acres to less than 4 million acres today. For every acre of aspen lost, so is a prime source of water, a productive habitat for wildlife, a valuable source of livestock forage, and one of our most scenic treasures.

Aspen response to management

Science Spotlights Posted on: July 26, 2016
There is considerable interest in the growth and mortality of quaking aspen in the western United States. Looking at the past 10 years of silvicultural treatments to promote aspen regeneration we quantified the factors most influential on subsequent reproduction. Herbivory pressure (domestic and native ungulates) and the presence of advance reproduction best predicted aspen regeneration response.

Using Forest Health Monitoring to assess aspen forest cover change in the southern Rockies ecoregion

Publications Posted on: May 12, 2016
Long-term qualitative observations suggest a marked decline in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) primarily due to advancing succession and fire suppression. This study presents an ecoregional coarse-grid analysis of the current aspen situation using Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) data from Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado.

Mark-recapture estimation of snag standing rates in northern Arizona mixed-conifer and ponderosa pine forests

Publications Posted on: October 07, 2015
Snags (standing dead trees) are important components of forests that provide resources for numerous species of wildlife and contribute to decay dynamics and other ecological processes.

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