Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is an important component of western U.S. forests, however knowledge concerning processes of aspen seedling establishment, survival, and growth is limited and frequently anecdotal. Following a widespread post-fire establishment event in southern Utah, we explored spatial establishment patterns of >1000 aspen seedlings and tracked their survival and growth for two growing seasons. Specifically, we assessed the influence of landscape-level variables, microsite factors, and competition with suckers on aspen seedling establishment, survival, and growth. Aspen seedlings occurred across large areas of the 29,000 ha fire footprint, with an average plot density of 23,033 seedlings ha⁻¹, and establishment more likely at higher elevations and closer to seed sources. Aspen seedlings preferentially established in concave microsites and were tightly associated with burned soil. A total of 33% of tagged seedlings remained alive after two growing seasons. Seedling persistence was strongly impacted by competition with co-occurring aspen suckers, with survival lower for aspen seedlings closer to nearby suckers and seedling growth reduced in plots with high sucker density. Given the long dispersal distances of aspen seeds and the ability of seeds to take advantage of initial post-disturbance conditions, sexual regeneration in aspen may represent an important pathway for maintaining forest resilience and associated ecosystem services, especially following fires with large patches of high burn severity.

封死白杨（Populus tremuloides）是美国西部森林的重要组成部分，但是有关白杨幼苗建立，存活和生长过程的知识有限，而且常常是传闻。在犹他州南部发生广泛的火灾后建立事件之后，我们探索了> 1000种白杨幼苗的空间建立模式，并跟踪了两个生长季节的生存和生长情况。具体来说，我们评估了景观水平变量，微站点因素以及与抽油杆的竞争对白杨幼苗建立，存活和生长的影响。白杨幼苗发生在29,000公顷火灾面积的大面积上，平均地积密度为23,033公顷公顷^-1，并且更有可能在更高的海拔高度并更靠近种子源。白杨幼苗优先在凹形微地点建立，并与烧过的土壤紧密相关。经过两个生长季节后，总共有33％的带标签的幼苗仍然存活。与同时发生的白杨吸盘的竞争极大地影响了幼苗的持久性，在高吸盘密度下，靠近附近吸盘的白杨幼苗的存活率较低，幼苗生长降低。考虑到白杨种子的散布距离很长，并且种子有能力利用最初的干扰后条件，白杨的有性再生可能代表了维持森林复原力和相关生态系统服务的重要途径，尤其是在大火烧毁大片火灾之后严重性。