Aspen canopy removal and root trenching effects on understory vegetation

Abstract

Effects of aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx.) canopy removal and root trenching on understory vegetation were examined at Parkland and Boreal sites in Alberta, Canada to provide a better understanding of the ecological basis of agroforestry systems suitable for north temperate and boreal areas. The greatest changes in understory production (ANPP) were in response to canopy removal with less consistent changes from reduction of root effects. Root trenching did not influence ANPP at the parkland site, but did at the boreal site where it interacted with canopy removal. During severe drought, ANPP under a full canopy at the parkland site increased and may relate to paradoxical understory resource increases during drought. At the parkland site there was a shift away from forb and shrub production under a full canopy towards a greater proportion of graminoids with complete or partial canopy removal. At the boreal site, partial canopy removal resulted in more shrubs and greater production from graminoid species relative to complete overstory removal but only with root trenching using a barrier. Trends in the relative yields of understory species and the cover of plant groups generally followed the patterns observed in ANPP. Leaf litter decreased with the level of canopy removal and may have factored in greater moisture conservation under aspen. Understory production gains with a partial canopy may be attributed to favourable microclimatic conditions of a closed forest retained by the partial aspen cover, while simultaneously increasing PAR penetration. Soil resources were important to ANPP and cover, particularly among forbs, however, when root trenching was significant, it generally coincided with increases in PAR.