UP TO BEAVER ECOLOGY, AND HYDROGEOMORPHIC FEEDBACKS

background

synopsis of topic

We will cover both the physical (hydrogeomorphic) and ecological feedbacks of beaver dams.

why we're covering it

We need to understand the feedbacks and ecosystem services provided by beaver dams in order to develop appropriate restoration and conservation objectives around these.

learning outcomes

This topics helps us with the following learning outcomes for the workshop:

• An appreciation of beaver ecology and the complex feedbacks between beaver activity, hydrogeomorphic responses, riparian vegetation and fish ecology

Breached beaver dam near the Idaho/Utah border on Beaver Creek.

resources

Slides & Handouts
Choose Workshop for Slides:

• 2011 ICRRR
• 2012 ICRRR
• 2012 UWCC

Relevant or Cited Literature
Overview of Feedbacks

•  Fouty, S. 2003. Current and historic stream channel response to changes in cattle and elk grazing pressure and beaver activity. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Oregon, Department of Geography.

Hydrogeomorphic Feedbacks

• Butler D and Malanson G. 2005. The geomorphic influences of beaver dams and failures of beaver dams. Geomorphology. 71(1-2): 48-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.08.016.
  
  
• Gurnell AM. 1998. The hydrogeomorphological effects of beaver dam-building activity. Progress in Physical Geography. 22(2): 167-189.
• 2011. Nyssen J, Pontzeele J and Billi P. Effect of beaver dams on the hydrology of small mountain streams: Example from the Chevral in the Ourthe Orientale basin, Ardennes, Belgium. Journal of Hydrology. 402(1-2): 92-102. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.03.008.
  
  

Riparian Feedbacks

• Baker BW and Hill EP. 2003. Beaver (Castor Canadensis). Feldhamer GA, Thompson BC and Chapman JA (Eds), Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Mangement and Conservation. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore, Maryland, pp. 288-310.
• Barnes DM and Mallik AU. 1997. Habitat factors influencing beaver dam establishment in a northern Ontario watershed. Journal of Wildlife Management. 61(4): 1371-1377. 
• Denney RN. 1952. A summary of North American beaver management, 1946-1948, 28. Colorado Game and Fish Dept. 
• Haarberg O and Rosell F. 2006. Selective foraging on woody plant species by the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) in Telemark, Norway. Journal of Zoology. 270(2): 201-208. DOI: 10.1111/J.1469-7998.2006.00142.X.
• Harrison, A.M., J.C. Stella. 2010. Engineering the forest ecosystem: impacts on woody vegetation structure and composition by beaver, a central place forager. Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Keeton WS, Kraft CE and Warren DR. 2007. Mature and old-growth riparian forests: structure, dynamics, and effects on Adirondack stream habitats. Ecological Applications. 17(3): 852-868. 
• Naiman RJ, Decamps H and McClain ME. 2005. Riparia: ecology, conservation, and management of streamside communities. Academic Press. 
• Pinkowski B. 1983. Foraging Behavior of Beavers (Castor-Canadensis) in North-Dakota. Journal of Mammalogy. 64(2): 312-314. 
• Raffel TR, Smith N, Cortright C and Gatz AJ. 2009. Central Place Foraging by Beavers (Castor canadensis) in a Complex Lake Habitat. American Midland Naturalist. 162(1): 62-73.

Stream Ecology & Fish Ecology 

• Benke, A. C. 1993. Concepts and patterns of invertebrate production in running waters. Vehr. Int. Verein. Limnol. 25:15-38.
• Burchsted, D., M. Daniels, R. Thorson, and J. Vokoun. 2010. The River Discontinuum: Applying Beaver Modifications to Baseline Conditions for Restoration of Forested Headwaters. Bioscience 60:908-922.
• Hanson, P., T. Johnson, J. Kitchell, and D. E. Schindler. 1997. Fish bioenergetics 3.0. University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Lindstrom, J. W. and W. A. Hubert. 2004. Ice processes affect habitat use and movements of adult cutthroat trout and brook trout in a Wyoming foothills stream. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:1341-1352.
• Mcrae, G. and C. J. Edwards. 1994. Thermal-Characteristics of Wisconsin Headwater Streams Occupied by Beaver - Implications for Brook Trout Habitat. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 123:641-656.
• Meentemeyer, R. K. and D. R. Butler. 1999. Hydrogeomorphic effects of beaver dams in Glacier National Park, Montana. Physical Geography 20:436-446.
• Meentemeyer, R. K., J. B. Vogler, and D. R. Butler. 1998. The geomorphic influences of burrowing beavers on streambanks, Bolin creek, North Carolina. Zeitschrift Fur Geomorphologie 42:453-468.
• Naiman, R. J., C.A. Johnston and J.C. Kelley.1988. Alteration of North American streams by beaver. . BioScience 38:753-763. filed under BioScience.
• Naiman, R. J., J. M. Melillo, and J. E. Hobbie. 1986. Ecosystem Alteration of Boreal Forest Streams by Beaver (Castor-Canadensis). Ecology 67:1254-1269.
• Pollock, M. M., G. R. Pess, and T. J. Beechie. 2004. The importance of beaver ponds to coho salmon production in the Stillaguamish River basin, Washington, USA. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:749-760.
• Poole, G. C. 2002. Fluvial landscape ecology: addressing uniqueness within the river discontinuum. Freshwater Biology 47:641-660.
• Sigourney, D. B., B. H. Letcher, and R. A. Cunjak. 2006. Influence of beaver activity on summer growth and condition of age-2 atlantic salmon parr. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 135:1068-1075.
• Snodgrass, J. W. 1997. Temporal and spatial dynamics of beaver-created patches as influenced by management practices in a south-eastern North American landscape. Journal of Applied Ecology 34:1043-1056.
• Snodgrass, J. W. and G. K. Meffe. 1998. Influence of beavers on stream fish assemblages: Effects of pond age and watershed position. Ecology 79:928-942.
• Vannote, R. L., G. W. Minshall, K. W. Cummins, J. R. Sedell, and C. E. Cushing. 1980. The river continuum concept. Can. J. Fish. and Aquat. Sci. 37:130-137.

• Terrestrial Ecology

• Mateusz Ciechanowski M., Kubic, W., Rynkiewicz, A. & A. Zwolicki. 2010. Reintroduction of beavers Castor fiber may improve habitat quality for vespertilionid bats foraging in small river valleys.  Eur. J. Wild. Res.
  
  

Landscape Predictors of Beaver Site Occupancy

• Curtis PD and Jensen PG. 2004. Habitat features affecting beaver occupancy along roadsides in New York state. Journal of Wildlife Management. 68(2): 278-287. 
• Harrison, A.M., J.C. Stella. 2010. Engineering the forest ecosystem: impacts on woody vegetation structure and composition by beaver, a central place forager. Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Johnston CA and Naiman RJ. 1990. Aquatic Patch Creation in Relation to Beaver Population Trends. Ecology. 71(4): 1617-1621. 
• Naiman RJ, Johnston CA and Kelley JC. 1988. Alteration of North-American Streams by Beaver. Bioscience. 38(11): 753-762. 
• Pollock MM, Heim M and Werner D. 2003. Hydrologic and geomorphic effects of beaver dams and their influence on fishes, 213-233 pp. 
• Retzer JL. 1956. Suitability of physical factors for beaver management in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. State of Colorado Dept. of Game and Fish. 

Importance of Dam Failure & Abandonment

• Butler D and Malanson G. 2005. The geomorphic influences of beaver dams and failures of beaver dams. Geomorphology. 71(1-2): 48-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.08.016.
• Naiman RJ, Johnston CA and Kelley JC. 1988. Alteration of North-American Streams by Beaver. Bioscience. 38(11): 753-762. 
• Burchsted D, Daniels M, Thorson R and Vokoun J. 2010. The River Discontinuum: Applying Beaver Modifications to Baseline Conditions for Restoration of Forested Headwaters. Bioscience. 60(11): 908-922. DOI: 10.1525/bio.2010.60.11.7.

Relevant Links

•  Bulleted list of Feedbacks - From Grand Canyon Trust
• Boyd and Kasper, 2004. HeatSource 7.0 Manual http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/tmdls/tools.htm 

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