Fewer Wolves and Fewer Wildfires may have led to Aspen’s Decline

Here is an interesting article how the demise of wolves in the West during the 20 the century and the decline of quaking aspen in the West, especially in Yellowstone, may have been related. Now that wolves have returned to Yellowstone I have noticed an increase in streamside brush, such as willows, although I haven't noticed much  regeneration of aspen. 

Fire is also major factor with aspen. Fire readily promotes the sprouting of new aspen. After the 1988 fires in Yellowstone, I photographed a site with perhaps 500 or 600 aspen sprouts per ace in 1989. In 1990 they were all gone, eaten by elk I presume, but can not prove. 

For perspective, however, Yellowstone, especially northern Yellowstone, is inherently marginal territory for aspen. The Rocky Mountain aspen belt is primarily from Jackson Hole, Wyoming southward to southern Colorado and from northern Montana far up into Alberta and British Columbia. 

Regardind fires, we are obviously entering a period when excessive fire suppression during the past 50 years is giving way to more fires, either wildfires or prescribed (set) fires.

Quiet Decline Fewer Wolves and Wildfires May Have Led to Aspen’s Decline. Lee Dye. ABC News.

---