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the topsoil without the use of the Madge-rotoclear. This was done to <br />increase the size of the root segments in the live handled topsoil. <br />1 Lift Uerses 2 Lifts <br />Aspen root suckering is affected by the depth of the parent roots. On <br />study areas in Utah and Wyoming, Schier and Campbell (1978) found that 70% <br />of all suckers arose from roots within 4.7 inches of the surface. As a <br />result a treatment was designed to maintain as many of the roots in the <br />surface topsoil close to the surface in the live handled topsoil. This was <br />accomplished by moving the topsoil in 2 lifts. However, the depth of the <br />lifts was limited by the capability of scrapers used to move the topsoil. <br />When moving topsoil the minimum depth which could be taken by the scrapers <br />and still have them load properly was 16-18 inches on rotocleared sites and <br />10-12 inches on dozed sites. Therefore, when using 2 lifts the top 16-18 <br />inches for rotocleared sites and the top 10-12 inches for dozed sites are <br />removed separately from the underlying topsoil and then when it is layed <br />down on a reclaimed site, it is put on top. <br />Summer Verses Fall: <br />Another factor which may affect aspen suckering in live handled topsoil <br />is the physiological condition of the trees at the time of treatment and <br />topsoil movement. Therefore, a third treatment consisted of treating and <br />moving topsoil during the summer (aspen growing) verses the fall (aspen <br />dormant). <br />Fencing Verses Unfenced: <br />Browsing by deer and elk on CYCC reclamation occurs throughout the <br />summer and is particularly heavy during spring and fall. Studies (DeByle <br />and Winokur 1985) have shown that heavy browsing has a negative impact on <br />aspen regeneration. Aspen seedlings sprouting from root segments in live <br />handled topsoil do not have an established parent root 'system to rely on. <br />As a result, any browsing may exhaust the remaining carbohydrate reserves <br />for resprouting and establishment. Therefore, elk proof fencing was used as <br />a treatment to eliminate browsing. <br />