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Site Description - UP1C
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| Alias: |
113LTER #113Aspen Ridge (Rosie Creek Fires study)FSL-LD-UP1C_aspen
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| Site status: |
Active
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| Latitude: |
64.73195762 |
| Longitude: |
-148.2974016 |
| Size: |
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Site Information - UP1C
BNZ-LTER site*
* Site information should be complete for BNZ LTER sites.
Information for related sites might be incomplete.
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General Information
| Site synonyms |
113,
LTER #113,
Aspen Ridge (Rosie Creek Fires study),
FSL-LD-UP1C_aspen,
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| General Description |
Young Aspen Forest
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| Vegetation Description |
In 1984, the year following the late May Rosie Creek fire, aspen root suckers had reached a density of 180,000 stems per ha, an average height of 90 cm, and a cover of 70%. Shrubs, primarily Rosa acicularis and Viburnum edule had a total stem count of nearly 125,000 stems/ha but only a cover of 13%. The herbaceous cover, primarily the fire species of Dracocephalum parviflorum, Geranium bicknellii, and Epilobium angustifolium, developed rapidly following the fire and in 1984 had a total cover of 52%.
In the following years there was a rapid development of the aspen suckers into saplings and trees and at the same time a slow development of the shrub canopy and a decrease in the herbaceous layer, due primarily to the dense shading by the aspen. By 1995 aspen tree density was 5875/ha while aspen saplings numbered approximately 15,000/ha. Tree heights had reached 6 m. Only occasional white spruce seedlings and saplings occur in the stand. Shrubs, primarily Shepherdia canadensis, Rosa acicularis, and Viburnum edule, had a 50% cover. The herbaceous cover of 14.5% was made up mainly of Epilobium angustifulium, Equsetum arvense, E. scirpoides and Galium boreale. During the 12 years following the fire most of the standing dead aspen and white spruce had toppled, creating a nearly impenetrable thicket of horizontal stems.
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| History |
This stand was burned in the 1910 - 1915 period and had developed as a mixed aspen white spruce stand prior to the 1983 Rosie Creek Fire. During the 1983 fire the stand was moderately burned, killing all of the trees but leaving the underground roots of both aspen and several shrub species. Prior to the LTER program,this stand was used as one of the intensive sites for studying the effects of the 1983 Rosie Creek fire on forest vegetation. A climate station was maintained fro 1984 through 1986.
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The Bonanza Creek LTER, including this website, is supported by the
National Science Foundation through awards
DEB-0620579,
DEB-0423442,
DEB-0080609,
DEB-9810217,
DEB-9211769,
DEB-8702629
and by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station through agreement number RJVA-PNW-01-JV-11261952-231.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the supporting agencies or the program as a whole.
© Bonanza Creek LTER, 2009.
Last modified 23-Nov-09
UAF is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution.
This site is a member of the LTER Network.
Disclaimer
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