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are sufficiently favorable to enable tree seedling estab-
lishment and growth. Although only six tree species are
common in these forests, their adaptations vary consid-
erably, and the influences of fires, insects, windstorms,
and abrupt topographic changes create a mosaic that
includes a diversity of forest types intermingled with
meadows and shrublands, along with mountain lakes
and alpine tundra. Demands for forest products and
amenities have led to intensive management in some
areas, and to concerns about whether current manage-
ment practices will sustain wildlife populations as well
as wood production. Recent large fires, insect outbreaks,
and the specter of climate change raise questions about
the resilience of Rocky Mountain forest ecosystems, at
least as we know them today—a topic that is discussed
further in the next chapter.
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