1. Effects of conifer removal treatments on quaking aspen regeneration and adult growth
By:
Philip W. Williams
Bachelor of Science in Forestry Student
College of Forestry & Conservation
Undergraduate Thesis Supervisor:
Dr. Andrew J. Larson
UMCUR
University of Montana
April 15th 2016

2. LIKELY REMEDIABLE THROUGH FOREST MANAGMENT
INTRODUCTION
Project Relevance:
Widest range of any tree in North America
Wide variety of ecosystem services
Currently in decline
Very few previous studies
LIKELY REMEDIABLE THROUGH FOREST MANAGMENT

3. INTRODUCTION Research Questions:
1. Does conifer removal in quaking aspen increase, decrease, or not affect :
a. aspen regeneration density ?
b. aspen regeneration browsing by ungulates?
c. remaining adult aspen diameter growth?
2. How dense is the overstory in control and treatment units, measured in terms of adult aspen per acre?

4. INTRODUCTION Project Background:
Conifer removal treatments at Burnt Fork and Bandy Ranches
Combo of private and state land management
Burnt Fork Ranch Treatment: Winter
Bandy Ranch Treatment: Summer 2009

5. INTRODUCTION Overall Goals:
Give ranch managers regional data to restore quaking aspen
Give scientists a platform to further investigate aspen decline

6. METHODS

7. METHODS Control – Impact Study
Burnt Fork: 10 treatment units, 4 control units
Bandy: 7 treatment units, 4 control units
Nested concentric plots

8. METHODS 100th acre circles Regeneration Counts:
Based on cm diameter classes at ground-level:
< 1 cm, 1-2 cm, 2-3cm, & >3 cm
Ungulate Use:
Further divided into unbrowsed vs browsed
Unable to separate cattle from wildlife browsing

9. METHODS 10th acre circles Adult Trees Trees per acre
Most Vigorous Aspen &/or Conifer to represent site potential:
Diameters at breast height (DBH)
Increment cores for average annual growth pre and post-treatment

10. ANALYSIS Regeneration Counts:
Calculated stems/ha for each diameter class and total
Ungulate Use:
Browsed vs unbrowsed used to calculate:
% use for each diameter class
% use for total

11. ANALYSIS
Adult Trees
Most Vigorous Aspen &/or Conifer to represent site potential:
Calculated trees per acre
Subtracted pre-harvest DBH from current = DBH change
Counted tree rings under dissecting scope
Divided total growth (cm) over equal time period pre and post treatment
Gave growth estimates for pre and post treatment

16. RESULTS

17. RESULTS

18. RESULTS

19. RESULTS

20. DISCUSSION The What and Why Conifer removal in quaking aspen:
Increases aspen regeneration
Increases ungulate browsing
Increases or does not affect adult growth

21. A FEW MORE WHYS Burnt Fork regeneration < Bandy: Topography
Bandy > regeneration use: Cattle
Treatment use > Control: Tender browse

22. An interactive Web Map of my experiment
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
An interactive Web Map of my experiment