The Condition and Survival ofPopulus tremulaand Other Deciduous Saplings in a Moose Winter-Foraging Area in Southern Finland

Abstract

The current heavy browsing pressure by moose (Alces alces) affects and even prevents the regeneration of deciduous species in Fennoscandia. We studied the current establishment status of Populus tremula and other deciduous species in managed regeneration stands in a moose winter-foraging area in southern Finland. The regeneration of P. tremula was more abundant in height classes 40–100 cm. There was a lag in stem density for height class 20 cm and there were no P. tremula saplings taller than two meters. The majority of living P. tremula regeneration was healthy, despite the fact that many stems had been browsed repeatedly, particularly in stands with greater sapling densities. The majority of Sorbus aucuparia and Salix spp. stems were also healthy despite recurrent browsing in all stands, and their density decreased sharply for saplings taller than 100 cm. Betula pendula and Betula pubescens were the most abundant of the studied species. They had less bites per stem and a very high proportion of them wer...