Aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section Populus, of the Populus genus.[1]
Species
These species are called aspens:
- Populus adenopoda – Chinese aspen (China, south of P. tremula)
- Populus davidiana – Korean aspen (Eastern Asia)
- Populus grandidentata – Bigtooth aspen (eastern North America, south of P. tremuloides)
- Populus sieboldii – Japanese aspen[2] (Japan)
- Populus tremula – Eurasian aspen (northern Europe and Asia)
- Populus tremuloides – Quaking aspen or trembling aspen (northern and western North America)
Habitat and longevity
Aspen trees are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the
Aspens typically grow in environments that are otherwise dominated by
Aspens are also aided by the
Aspen seedlings do not thrive in the shade, and it is difficult for seedlings to establish in an already mature aspen stand. Fire indirectly benefits aspen trees, since it allows the saplings to flourish in open sunlight in the burned landscape, devoid of other competing tree species. Aspens have increased in popularity as a forestry cultivation species, mostly because of their fast growth rate and ability to regenerate from sprouts. This lowers the cost of reforestation after harvesting since no planting or sowing is required.
Recently, aspen populations have been declining in some areas ("Sudden Aspen Death"). This has been attributed to several different factors, such as climate change, which exacerbates drought and modifies precipitation patterns. Recruitment failure from herbivory or grazing prevents new trees from coming up after old trees die. Additionally, successional replacement by conifers due to fire suppression alters forest diversity and creates conditions where aspen may be at less of an advantage.
In contrast with many trees, aspen
Young aspen bark is an important seasonal forage for the
not only eat the leaves but also strip the bark with their front teeth.Image gallery
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Leaf of Populus grandidentata.
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Autumn colour of Populus tremula.
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Male flowers (catkin) of Populus tremula.
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Aspen grove in fall.
Uses
Aspen wood is white and soft, but fairly strong, and has low flammability. It has a number of uses, notably for making
References
- ^ "Technology transfer fact sheet: Populus spp" (PDF). Forest Products Laboratory: R&D USDA. Madison, Wisconsin: United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
- ^ "Populus sieboldii". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- Bryce Canyon National Park Service
- ^ The Biodiversity and Management of Aspen woodlands: Proceedings of a one-day conference held in Kingussie, Scotland, on 25th May 2001
- ^ "Trembling Aspen". Alberta Wood Products. Forest Industry Development Branch, Government of Alberta. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
Further reading
- Fox, Mark, Linda E. Tackaberry, Pascal Drouin, Yves Bergeron, Robert L. Bradley, Hughes B. Massicotte, and Han Chen (2013). "Microbial community structure of soils under four productivity classes of aspen forests in Northern British Columbia". Ecoscience 20(3):264–275. .
External links
- Aspen Information Resource, U.K.
- Quaking Aspen Forests of the Colorado Plateau
- Bioimages: Populus grandidentata bigtooth aspen
- Aspen Research Bibliography
- Aspen Photo Gallery
- Aspen Compounds, Medicinal Benefits and Uses
- Loyola Medicine: Aspen Dosage, Interaction, Warnings and Side Effects
- Steens Aspen Video produced by Oregon Field Guide