Analysis of Aspen Stand Structure and Composition in the Western U.S.: Implications for Management

Aspen communities in the western U.S. are considered at risk because of low levels of disturbance and high levels of herbivory by wild and domestic ungulates. There appears to be a trend toward the loss of aspen-dominated stands West-wide. In some cases the loss is caused by succession, with shade-tolerant conifers becoming dominant. On dry sites where aspen is considered to be the climax, deterioration of aspen stands and loss of regeneration may lead to a conversion to sagebrush or grassland. Data from FIA plots, located in stands with an aspen component and covering the range of aspen west of the 103 meridian, are being used to classify stands according to composition and structure. The results of this analys is should aid management decisions by providing a method for classifying stands according to their successional status, and may suggest alternative stand dynamics models by which aspen may be maintained on the landscape.