The removal of conifers from aspen (Populus tremuloides) stands is being undertaken throughout the western United States to restore aspen for local‐ and landscape‐level biodiversity. Current practices include mechanically removing conifers or hand thinning, piling, and burning cut conifers in and adjacent to aspen‐conifer stands. To evaluate the effectiveness of restoration treatments, we examined tree regeneration and herbaceous vegetation cover in thinned, thinned and pile burned, and non‐thinned control stands. Growth rates of small conifer saplings threatening to outcompete and replace aspen were also measured. Two to four years after pile burning, herbaceous vegetation cover within the footprint of burned piles (i.e. burn scars) was 35–73% of that in adjacent areas. Aspen was more likely to regenerate inside burn scars where fewer surrounding trees were true firs. Conifer seedlings were more likely to regenerate in burn scars where more of the surrounding trees were conifers (pine or fir) as opposed to aspen. Fir saplings had much slower growth than did aspen saplings. Overall, our findings show that restoration treatments are promoting desirable outcomes such as enhancing aspen regeneration but that follow‐up treatments will be needed to remove numerous conifer seedlings becoming established after restoration activities. Eliminating conifers, while they are small, growing slowly, and contributing little to fuel loads may be an economical way to prolong restoration treatment effectiveness.

中文翻译：

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太浩湖盆地周围白杨针叶林恢复活动的林下响应：残余林分属性预测恢复

从白杨（针叶杨）中去除针叶树）在美国西部各地都将采取立场，以恢复当地和景观一级生物多样性的白杨树。当前的做法包括机械移除针叶树或手工疏伐，打桩，以及在白杨针叶树立架及其附近烧制切割后的针叶树。为了评估恢复处理的有效性，我们检查了在稀疏，稀疏和堆烧以及非稀疏对照林中的树木再生和草本植被覆盖率。还测量了威胁竞争和替代白杨的小针叶树苗的生长速度。堆烧两到四年后，烧过堆的足迹（即烧伤疤痕）内的草本植被覆盖率为邻近区域的35–73％。白杨更容易在烧伤疤痕中再生，而周围的树木才是真正的冷杉。针叶树幼苗更有可能在烧伤疤痕中再生，那里周围的树木更多是针叶树（松树或冷杉），而不是白杨。杉木树苗的生长比白杨树苗慢得多。总体而言，我们的研究结果表明，恢复处理正在促进令人满意的结果，例如增强白杨木的再生，但是需要后续处理以去除恢复活动后形成的许多针叶树幼苗。消除针叶树，尽管它们很小，但生长缓慢，对燃料负荷的贡献很小，这可能是延长恢复处理效果的经济方法。我们的发现表明，恢复处理正在促进令人满意的结果，例如增强白杨木的再生，但是需要后续处理以去除恢复活动后逐渐形成的针叶树幼苗。消除针叶树，尽管它们很小，但生长缓慢，对燃料负荷的贡献很小，这可能是延长恢复处理效果的经济方法。我们的发现表明，恢复处理正在促进令人满意的结果，例如增强白杨木的再生，但是需要后续处理以去除恢复活动后逐渐形成的针叶树幼苗。消除针叶树，尽管它们很小，但生长缓慢，对燃料负荷的贡献很小，这可能是延长恢复处理效果的经济方法。