Document Type
Newsletter
Volume
4
Issue
4
Editor
Paul Rogers
Publisher
Western Aspen Alliance
Publication Date
11-2013
First Page
1
Last Page
3
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Abstract
Does Aspen Need Fire?
Douglas Shinneman
It is commonly accepted that aspen needs fire or other stand- replacing disturbance to persist on many landscapes. The prevailing aspen-fire model, in a nutshell, could be stated as follows: After fire, aspen resprouts vigorously, often forming even-aged stands that dominate for decades, as long as browsing animals or other factors don’t impede regeneration. Historically, periodic fire created cycles of aspen and conifer dominance, and produced shifting mosaics of different forest types across landscapes. Too long without fire (e.g., due to fire suppression and moist climate), and conifers extend their dominance, as aging and disease-prone aspen trees deteriorate and die with little or no replacement.
Recommended Citation
Western Aspen Alliance, "Tremblings, November 2013" (2013). Tremblings. Paper 18.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/tremblings/18