Yes, wolf densities in northern Yellowstone are among the highest documented for any wild wolf population. No new aspen clones have been documented. Many clones have died out since wolf reintroduction, including the ones documented in the map and photo I included in my original post.

Climate warming is indeed a factor, as is continued browsing by elk, moose, mule deer, and bison. Wolf density in the area has been exceptionally high for decades.

No. They're mostly even-aged.

Data from Kauffman et al. suggests many mature aspen trees in northern Yellowstone are at or near their maximum lifespan.

There is a reasonably large body of evidence that implicates elk browsing as the principle reasons for the gap. Much of this evidence comes from exclosure studies. For example: Fig 2B in Kauffman et al. 2010; doi.org/10.1890/09-1...

Please elaborate if u wish

They did not.

Even 17.5× is inflated—it reflects average sapling density driven by a minority of plots. Most aspen plots (green = median) stayed flat—half had no saplings, and only a small fraction (purple, pink) increased.
doi.org/10.32942/X2W...