Effects of recreation (trampling) on the forest floor and associated streams of aspen and conifer forests

Heavy trampling significantly reduced the biomass of understory vegetation in aspen stands subject to different management procedures (thinning, fertilization). Light trampling also resulted in lower understory biomass except where it was performed in a fertilized aspen stand which had an understory community dominated by grasses. The grass community appears to be more resistant to trampling. Coverage by the understory was also reduced by both heavy and light trampling in aspen stands. The sparse understory of spruce-fir forests was not significantly changed. Trampling fragmented the forest floor in aspen but not in spruce-fir