Aspen
Parks Where Protocol Will Be Implemented
Importance / Issues
- Aspen communities are one of the most biologically rich areas in the Intermountain West. However, quaking aspen is declining rapidly in many areas, with an estimated loss of 61% in Idaho (Bartos 2001).
- Aspen declines cascade into losses of vertebrate species, vascular plants, invertebrates, and nonvascular organisms.
- Current fire intervals, extents, and intensities are not regenerating aspen at historic rates, and are likely causes to the aspen decline observed today. Secondarily, shade-tolerant conifer encroachment and overtopping is contributing to aspen decline.
- Aspen is a particularly important attraction at City of Rocks National Reserve, bringing many visitors in the fall to view the aspen coloration.
- Our aspen monitoring program will address overall aspen abundance, conifer encroachment, and aspen regeneration.
Monitoring Objectives
- Estimate current status and long-term trend in regeneration of park aspen populations as well as individual stands.
- Estimate status and trend in conifer density within aspen stands.
- Estimate status and trend in aspen abundance, as measured by stem density of live and dead trees, within aspen stands.
- Estimate the status and trend in dead standing aspen stems.
Measures
Abundance (aspen stem density, conifer density), recruitment, number of dead stems, tree height.
Protocol Development & Status
Protocol development was being completed through a cooperative agreement with Eva Strand, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management at the University of Idaho. Monitoring is currently being conducted at City of Rocks NR and Craters of the Moon NM&P.
Contact Information
Lisa Garrett
Upper Columbia Basin Network Coordinator
University of Idaho
Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Moscow, ID 83844-1136
Email
Document Links
- Protocol and Standard Operating Procedures (link to Reports & Pubs page)
- Resource Brief (link to Reports & Pubs page)
- Protocol Development Summary
References
Bartos, D. L. 2001. Landscape Dynamics of Aspen and Conifer Forests. Pages 5-14 in Sustaining Aspen in Western Landscapes: Symposium Proceedings; 13-15 June 2000; Grand Junction, CO. USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-18.