Abstract
We assessed aspen stand conditions in 2012 in 87 stands randomly located across the northern winter ungulate range of Yellowstone National Park (YNP), and compared these data to baseline conditions measured in 1997-98 shortly after wolves were reintroduced. In 1997-98, browsing rates (the percentage of leaders browsed annually) in aspen stands were consistently very high, averaging 88% of stems browsed; only 1% of young aspen in sample plots were taller than 100 cm and none were taller than 200 cm, the height at which aspen begin to escape from browsing by elk. Using the same methods in 2012, 17 years after wolf reintroduction, browsing rates were much lower averaging 44%, 34% of sampled young aspen were taller than 100 cm, and 5% taller than 200 cm. Mean heights of young aspen in 2012 were inversely correlated with browsing intensity (R2=0.64, p=
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