Above- and below-ground effects of aspen clonal regeneration and succession to conifers

• Published in: Canadian journal of forest research Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 739 - 745
• Main Authors: Shepperd, W.D, Bartos, D.L, Mata, S.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa, Canada NRC Research Press 01.05.2001; National Research Council of Canada; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; area; Aspen; Biological and medical sciences; biomass; Breeding; clones; ecological succession; Forest management. Stand types and stand dynamics. Silvicultural treatments. Tending of stands. Natural regeneration; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; growth; growth rate; height; mixed forests; National forests; natural regeneration; plant characteristics; Populus tremuloides; roots; sprouting; Stand types and stand dynamics. Silvicultural treatments. Tending of stands. Natural regeneration; stems; surface area; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Trees; understory; Utah; United States; North America; America; USA, Utah; Populus tremuloides; Forests; Epigeal; Forest production; Population structure; Natural forest regeneration; Hypogean; Vegetation dynamics; Salicaceae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Softwood forest tree; Forestry; Gymnospermae; Hardwood forest tree; Spermatophyta; Coniferales; Vegetation structure; Clone; Field study; Species succession; clonal regeneration
• ISSN: 0045-5067; 1208-6037
• DOI: 10.1139/x01-001

Above- and below-ground characteristics were measured and compared for six sets of paired trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones on the Fishlake National Forest in central Utah. Three self-regenerating clones were compared with three non-regenerating clones and three pure aspen stands were compared with three mixed aspen-conifer stands. Regenerating clones had dense understories of younger aspen stems, which were not present in non-regenerating clones. Regenerating clones also had greater numbers of roots and greater total root surface area than non-regenerating clones. Aboveground biomass and growth of the aspen in mixed stands was less than that of pure stands. A corresponding difference in aspen root mass was not apparent, indicating that the decline of aspen in mixed stands had not yet affected the root system. Conifer height and basal area growth rates were clearly greater than those of aspen, suggesting that aspen will eventually disappear from these forests in the absence of stand-reinitiating disturbances.