Ecological impact of Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) activity on macroinvertebrate communities in Lithuanian trout streams

Pliūraitė, Virginija; Kesminas, Vytautas

doi:10.2478/s11535-011-0084-y

Cited by 6 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Past studies on the effects of beavers on the density of macroinvertebrates have also found mixed results, with some studies reporting an increase in ponds and others a decrease (Anderson & Rosemond, 2010;Arndt & Domdei, 2011;Gard, 1961;Huey & Wolfrum, 1956;Law et al, 2016;McDowell & Naiman, 1986;Pliūraitė & Kesminas, 2012;Rolauffs et al, 2001;Rupp, 1955;Strzelec et al, 2018). However, the overall trend for all three streams was a higher average density in lotic reaches compared to beaver ponds.…”

Section: Biomass and Densitymentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have indicated a decrease in macroinvertebrate species richness within beaver ponds compared to lotic segments (Anderson & Rosemond, 2007;Arndt & Domdei, 2011;Gard, 1961;McDowell & Naiman, 1986;Pliūraitė & Kesminas, 2012;Strzelec, Białek & Spyra, 2018). Density results seem to be site-dependent for whether density is higher within beaver ponds (McDowell & Naiman, 1986), not statistically different between lotic habitats and beaver ponds (Anderson & Rosemond, 2007;Law et al, 2016;Rolauffs et al, 2001), or higher within the lotic segments (Arndt & Domdei, 2011;Pliūraitė & Kesminas, 2012;Strzelec et al, 2018). Density results seem to be site-dependent for whether density is higher within beaver ponds (McDowell & Naiman, 1986), not statistically different between lotic habitats and beaver ponds (Anderson & Rosemond, 2007;Law et al, 2016;Rolauffs et al, 2001), or higher within the lotic segments (Arndt & Domdei, 2011;Pliūraitė & Kesminas, 2012;Strzelec et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As water pools behind a beaver dam, the stream's shape forms a wide pond, characterised by slower, deeper water that might benefit swimming taxa that are excluded from fast-moving lotic reaches (Mackay, 1992;Stout, Majerova & Neilson, 2017). Thus, finer sediments behind beaver ponds may select for macroinvertebrates that can cling to fine particles or burrow in the sediment (Mackay, 1992 Domdei, 2011;Law et al, 2016;Pliūraitė & Kesminas, 2012). Sediment grain size is known to be a strong habitat filter influencing macroinvertebrate communities in streams (Bo et al, 2007;Mackay, 1992;Rabení, Doisy & Zweig, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The major consensus from this European literature, as well as one study done on the effects of invasive C. canadensis on South American streams, is that predator taxa increase (Anderson & Rosemond, 2007;Arndt & Domdei, 2011;Law et al, 2016;Pliūraitė & Kesminas, 2012). The major consensus from this European literature, as well as one study done on the effects of invasive C. canadensis on South American streams, is that predator taxa increase (Anderson & Rosemond, 2007;Arndt & Domdei, 2011;Law et al, 2016;Pliūraitė & Kesminas, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beavers alter stream macroinvertebrate communities in north‐eastern Utah

2019

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1. Understanding changes in macroinvertebrate communities is important because they play a large role in stream ecosystem functioning, and they are an important food resource for fish. Beaver-induced changes to stream morphology could alter macroinvertebrate communities, which in turn could affect food webs and ecosystem function. However, studies investigating the effects of North American beaver activities on macroinvertebrates are rare in the inter-mountain west, an area with high potential for beaver-assisted restoration.2. The aim of this study was to quantify differences in the macroinvertebrate community between unaltered segments of streams and within beaver ponds in northeastern Utah, U.S.A. We assessed macroinvertebrate species richness, biomass, density, functional feeding group composition, mobility group composition, and macroinvertebrate habitat characteristics to test the hypothesis that macroinvertebrate communities will differ among habitat types (undammed stream segments and beaver ponds) in beaver-occupied streams.3. Beaver pond communities significantly differed from lotic reach communities in many ways. Beaver ponds were less diverse with 25% fewer species. Although there was variability among streams, in general, beaver ponds had 75% fewer individuals and 90% lower total macroinvertebrate biomass compared to lotic reaches.4. Regarding functional feeding groups, beaver ponds contained more engulfers, while lotic reaches contained more scrapers, filterers, and gatherers. For mobility groups, beaver ponds had more sprawlers, while lotic reaches had more clingers.Swimmers were also more prevalent in lotic reaches, although this is probably due to the abundance of Baetis within lotic reaches. More beaver pond taxa were classified as lentic-dwelling insects, while more lotic reach taxa were categorised as preferring lotic habitats.5. The creation of ponds by beavers fundamentally altered the macroinvertebrate community in north-eastern Utah streams. Such changes to stream macroinvertebrate communities suggest that recolonisation of beavers across North America may be altering stream functioning and food webs. Our study highlights the need to further investigate the effects of beaver recolonisation on stream communities.

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Section: Biomass and Densitymentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beavers alter stream macroinvertebrate communities in north‐eastern Utah

2019

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Transformation of benthic communities in forest lowland streams colonised by Eurasian beaver Castor fiber (L.)

Wojton

Kukuła

2020

Int Rev Hydrobiol

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Beavers are an exception among animals in terms of the scale of environmental transformations they achieve. This study investigated primary environmental factors influencing the occurrence of aquatic invertebrates in lowland streams inhabited by the Eurasian beaver. The study was conducted in two forest streams inhabited by beavers, and in an uninhabited stream. In streams inhabited by beavers, the study covered seven ponds. Sections with flowing water were also analysed downstream and upstream of the ponds. Benthos and water samples were collected at each site. Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and saturation were the only physicochemical parameters that indicated decreases in water quality in beaver ponds. The benthic communities of different beaver ponds were similar. The taxa that exerted the greatest influence on the similarity of the invertebrate fauna in the ponds were Oligochaeta and Chironomidae. Ostracods were also abundant in the ponds, whereas they were few in the flowing sections. Mayflies (Cloeon) and caddisflies belonging to the family Phryganeidae were also closely associated with the ponds. Caddisflies (Plectrocnemia and Sericostoma), mayflies (Baetis) and stoneflies (Nemourella and Leuctra) exhibited the highest correlation with DO concentrations, which is typical of flowing sections, and avoided stream fragments dammed by beavers. Bivalvia (Pisidium) were also abundant in each of the streams along the flowing sections. The highest number of taxa and greatest taxonomic diversity was observed in sections flowing below the beaver ponds. The engineering activity of beavers transformed the studied lowland streams, resulting in the development of rheophilic and stagnophilic communities of aquatic invertebrates, in free‐flowing and dammed sections, respectively.

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Human-beaver cohabitation in the Early and Mid-Holocene of Northern Europe: Re-visiting Mesolithic material culture and ecology through a multispecies lens

Hussain,

Brusgaard

2023

The Holocene

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The Eurasian beaver ( Castor fiber) was an important member of Early and Mid-Holocene landscapes and animal communities in Northern Europe. Previous zooarchaeological research has established the alimentary roles of beavers for Mesolithic societies and their importance for fur procurement. In this paper, we develop an integrated biocultural approach to human-beaver interactions, examining the position of humans and beavers in Mesolithic and Early Neolithic multispecies systems. We contextualize beaver landscape agency in hydroactive environments with human behaviour, synthesizing currently available data on mammalian assemblages, ichtyofauna and beaver-related material culture across Northern Europe. This cross-cultural, diachronic analysis reveals previously overlooked facilitations of human behaviour by beaver practices and ecological legacies. We show that long-term trajectories of human-beaver cohabitation differed between northern European regions. While in Southern Scandinavia, human-beaver intersections witnessed major re-organizations during the Mid-Holocene, beavers retained a key role for human societies across Northeastern Europe throughout much of the Holocene and played an important part at the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the Dutch wetlands. Divergent pathways are also evidenced by Mesolithic beaver-related material culture, highlighting the cultural keystone status of Castor fiber in higher latitude European landscapes. We argue that this keystone status is grounded in the supply of human hunting, fishing, and gathering affordances by the animals, pointing to the generative commensality between Mesolithic foragers and their beaver neighbours. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the importance of the beaver in the making of Early and Mid-Holocene forager societies in Northern Europe and illustrate the fruitfulness of deploying an integrated multispecies approach.

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Ecological impact of Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) activity on macroinvertebrate communities in Lithuanian trout streams

Cited by 6 publications

References 35 publications

Beavers alter stream macroinvertebrate communities in north‐eastern Utah

Beavers alter stream macroinvertebrate communities in north‐eastern Utah

Transformation of benthic communities in forest lowland streams colonised by Eurasian beaver Castor fiber (L.)

Human-beaver cohabitation in the Early and Mid-Holocene of Northern Europe: Re-visiting Mesolithic material culture and ecology through a multispecies lens

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