Climate considerations for quaking aspen conservation

View brief.

Human-caused climate change alters ecosystem processes ranging from local to global scales. As a consequence of climate change we should expect increased rates and intensities of disturbance events. Though we are only beginning to understand what those impacts might be to aspen forests and their diverse plant and animal assemblages, recent science suggests there may be unavoidable effects. In the face of anticipated climate-ecosystem challenges, contemporary managers are searching for guidance on preserving aspen resilience. We suggest crafting strategic yet cautious approaches to minimize effects and facilitate broad resilience. For instance, monitoring conditions in and near aspen forests
will help land managers remain nimble in response to potentially abrupt changes. Although in its infancy, here we synthesize current research that focuses on climate adaptation
strategies to improve aspen resilience.