Article
Ecology
A. A. D. McLaren, E. J. Newton, A. Silver, M. R. Allan, K. R. Middel, B. A. Pond, B. R. Patterson
Summary: A systematic aerial photographic census was conducted to quantify the annual beaver colony abundance on Michipicoten Island, Ontario. It was found that the beaver colony abundance declined from its peak in 2015 to a much lower level in 2018.
Article
Ecology
Anna Treves, Andrea Terenziani, Christof Angst, Elena Comino
Summary: This paper proposes the use of Ecological Niche Models to explore the potential for reintroducing Eurasian beavers in Italy. The results show potential habitats along main watercourses in foothill and plain zones. The study suggests that this model can be a useful tool in selecting appropriate reintroduction sites.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Bartosz P. Grudzinski, Ken Fritz, Heather E. Golden, Tammy A. Newcomer-Johnson, Jason A. Rech, Jonathan Levy, Justin Fain, Jessica L. McCarty, Brent Johnson, Teng Keng Vang, Karsten Maurer
Summary: Beavers are reclaiming their old habitats, expanding into new territories, and being protected for stream conservation in various environments. The effects of beaver dams on streams are complex and vary among different biomes. Most studies have been conducted in temperate forests, leaving many biomes understudied. Beaver dams prefer sites with low slopes, unconfined reaches, and small drainage areas. The impact of beaver dams on stream morphology and hydrology is relatively consistent across biomes, while water quality and biotic responses vary. Further research is needed in arid and cold biomes historically occupied by beavers and in new biomes where beaver populations are growing.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christian Andre Robstad, Hanna Kavli Lodberg-Holm, Martin Mayer, Frank Rosell
Summary: The study found that tagging Eurasian beavers can lead to a reduction in daily body weight but the specific mechanisms behind this effect are unclear. Tag weight, number of tagging days, and season did not have a significant impact on the body weight change of tagged animals. The detrimental effects of tagging have implications for animal welfare and data bias, emphasizing the importance of careful consideration in tag use.
Article
Ecology
Valerio Orazi, Jonas Hagge, Martin M. Gossner, Joerg Mueller, Marco Heurich
Summary: Beavers, as ecological engineers, increase habitat heterogeneity in mountain forests and promote biodiversity conservation and restoration.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Julianne E. Scamardo, Sarah Marshall, Ellen Wohl
Summary: The decline of beaver populations has led to the failure of beaver dams, resulting in stream incision, water table lowering, and the transition from beaver meadows to drier riparian corridors. A study in Colorado, USA, using the Beaver Restoration Assessment Tool, revealed that the decline in beaver population corresponds to a decline in the capacity to sustain beaver on the landscape, as well as a decrease in physical benefits associated with beaver, such as surface water and sediment storage.
Article
Zoology
David J. Rugg, Christine A. Ribic, Deahn M. Donner, Albert J. Beck, Daniel M. Wolcott, Sue Reinecke, Dan Eklund
Summary: Understanding beaver habitat preferences is crucial for effective beaver management. This study analyzed long-term monitoring data from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in northern Wisconsin to determine the factors influencing beaver colonization of new sites. The researchers developed three colonization models and found that a combination of geomorphology and vegetation factors best predicted beaver colony locations. These findings provide valuable insights into the habitat preferences of beavers in the upper Midwest region, which differ from those identified in previous studies in other parts of the United States.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
David J. Rugg, Christine A. Ribic, Deahn M. Donner, Albert J. Beck, Daniel M. Wolcott, Sue Reinecke, Dan Eklund
Summary: Understanding beaver habitat preferences is crucial for effective beaver management. In this study, we used long-term monitoring data to develop colonization models for beavers in the upper Midwest region of the United States. Our findings highlight the importance of considering both geomorphological and biological factors in predicting beaver colonization locations. These models provide valuable insights for land managers in the region seeking to restore forest landscapes.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jimmy Taylor, Robert Francis, Scott Rush, Bronson Strickland, Guiming Wang
Summary: The American beaver is a choosy generalist species with little dietary variation among individuals. However, colonies of beaver show overlap in isotopic niche width due to similar use of food resources. Individual trophic niche specialization also occurs within colonies.
Article
Ecology
Isidro A. Barela, Leslie M. Burger, Guiming Wang, Kristine O. Evans, Qingmin Meng, Jimmy D. Taylor
Summary: The study evaluated the predictive performance and spatial transferability of expert opinion models (EOMs) for American beaver. Through online surveys and analysis, it was found that EOMs had fair predictive performance for beaver at two study sites, indicating acceptable spatial transferability for sites where no opinion survey data were collected. The stable realized niche space of the American beaver may result in high transferability of habitat suitability models (HSMs).
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Clinton W. Epps, Vanessa M. Petro, Tyler G. Creech, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Matthew J. Weldy, Jimmy D. Taylor
Summary: Genetic studies on American beavers in western Oregon showed that gene flow among beaver populations is influenced more by landscape features such as watershed boundaries rather than geographic distance. In this topographically complex system, genetic differentiation of beavers was much greater than in studies at similar spatial scales in flatter terrain.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Dan Ni Li, Ye Xi Zhang, Zhao Hua Ren, Le Le Cai, Jing Huang, Bei Bei Li, Qing Hua Zhang, Meng Ting Yi, Xiao Feng Quan, Yun Xiao Wang, Ben Ru Wang, Zheng Bo Qian, Jun Ru Wang, Huan Tian, Jie Yuan, Ni Wang, Qi Li Long, Xuan Ming Zhang
Summary: The micellization behavior and molecular interaction of the quasi-binary mixture of AAS-CO and STAB in aqueous solution were investigated using tensiometry and conductometry. Synergistic interaction and non-ideal mixing were observed in the entire composition range. Addition of AAS-CO altered the interaction behavior between surfactants.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Frank A. Fogarty, Jian D. L. Yen, Erica Fleishman, Rahel Sollmann, Alison Ke
Summary: The size of habitat area has a greater impact on bird species richness than fragmentation. Canyons with riparian vegetation area greater than or equal to 25 ha have higher species richness, while those with less than 25 ha have lower species richness. To increase bird species richness in montane riparian areas in the Great Basin, it is more effective to focus on increasing the total habitat area rather than fragmentation.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
George Bouros, Viorica Paladi, Polina Cassir
Summary: This paper documents the discovery of the first Eurasian beaver colony in the Lower Prut Nature Reserve and discusses the rapid expansion of the Eurasian beaver population in southeastern Romania. It also presents possible dispersal routes and future colonization areas in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The paper highlights the importance of protecting the Eurasian beaver and its impact on other wildlife species in the study area.
NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Robert E. Loeb, Tyler B. Garner
Summary: We examined the natural regeneration changes in an urban natural area forest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after excluding white-tailed deer and unplanned North American beaver. The results showed that the abundance of seedlings, saplings, and trees increased after white-tailed deer exclusion. Red maple, tulip poplar, and red oak showed significant increases, while pignut hickory and white ash decreased significantly. North American beaver felling caused a significant loss of saplings for certain tree species. The study indicates that white-tailed deer exclusion fencing is an effective method for increasing natural regeneration in an urban natural area forest when it also excludes North American beaver.
NATURAL AREAS JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Michael J. Hooker, Richard B. Chandler, Bobby T. Bond, Michael J. Chamberlain
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2020)
Article
Zoology
Paige E. Howell, Blake R. Hossack, Erin Muths, Brent H. Sigafus, Richard B. Chandler
Article
Agronomy
Jeffrey D. Ritterson, David I. King, Raul Raudales, Richard Trubey, Richard B. Chandler
Summary: This study provides guidance on the application of a land sparing production system to conserve forest-dependent wildlife in coffee growing areas where land sharing cultivation is not feasible. The Integrated Open Canopy (IOC) coffee system allows farmers to control leaf rust and increase yields by removing shade trees, while conserving adjacent forest patches of equal or greater area. Conservation of forest patches is facilitated through compensation for opportunity costs and ecosystem services provided by forests, supporting biodiversity in regions where land sharing cultivation is impractical.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Samuel A. Merker, Richard B. Chandler
Summary: Through field observations and experiments, this research found no evidence to support the limitation of Canada warbler's distribution at the trailing-edge by socially mediated Allee effects. Instead, factors such as temperature, precipitation and negative density dependence were found to strongly influence population growth rates.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Jeffrey D. Ritterson, David I. King, Richard B. Chandler
Summary: Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds face threats at various stages of their annual cycle, leading to severe population declines. Despite relatively well-studied habitat associations of the golden-winged warbler, lack of basic demographic rates hinders conservation efforts, particularly during the winter period where survival rates play a crucial role. Our study in Costa Rica contributes to understanding the impacts of winter events on migratory bird populations and informs potential conservation strategies.
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jose Jimenez, Ben C. Augustine, Daniel W. Linden, Richard B. Chandler, J. Andrew Royle
Summary: The study introduces a novel random thinning SCR model that incorporates both known and unknown identity samples, improving parameter estimates in noninvasive sampling studies for low-density populations with low rates of individual identification.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Paige E. Howell, Nathan G. Wilhite, Rachel Gardner, Jessica L. Mohlman, Richard B. Chandler, Ira B. Parnell, James A. Martin
Summary: The northern bobwhite is an ecologically and economically valuable species in the United States, with researchers using spatial capture-recapture methods to estimate population size and study spatial density variation. The study found that landscape structure significantly influenced density variations in bobwhite populations.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John M. Yeiser, John J. Morgan, Danna L. Baxley, Richard B. Chandler, James A. Martin
Summary: Recovery of grassland birds in agricultural landscapes is crucial on a global scale, with consideration of species-specific landscape responses necessary. A spatially explicit approach can help optimize conservation strategies, aiding in the recovery of grassland bird species.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brett T. McClintock, Briana Abrahms, Richard B. Chandler, Paul B. Conn, Sarah J. Converse, Robert L. Emmet, Beth Gardner, Nathan J. Hostetter, Devin S. Johnson
Summary: Ecologists and conservation biologists increasingly rely on spatial capture-recapture (SCR) and movement modeling to study animal populations. Historically, SCR has focused on population-level processes, while animal movement modeling has focused on individual behavior. Integrating SCR and animal movement modeling has the potential to scale up from individuals to populations, advancing types of inferences and improving population-level parameter estimations critical for species conservation and management.
Article
Ecology
Tori D. Mezebish, Richard B. Chandler, Glenn H. Olsen, Michele Goodman, Frank C. Rohwer, Nicholas J. Meng, Mark D. McConnell
Summary: The study found that the selection of wetlands by ring-necked ducks during winter is influenced by local wetland characteristics, with wetland area and type playing significant roles in their selection. After the hunting season, the relative probability of selection for different wetland characteristics changed, possibly due to migratory preparation, resource depletion, and reproductive pairing.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
James T. Johnson, Richard B. Chandler, L. Mike Conner, Michael J. Cherry, Charlie H. Killmaster, Kristina L. Johannsen, Karl Miller
Summary: Bait is often used to attract wildlife for various purposes, but it can alter animal behavior and distribution. Short-term baiting was found to affect white-tailed deer's space use within home ranges, potentially enhancing disease transmission and changing harvest susceptibility. This study highlights the importance of understanding how baiting impacts wildlife behavior and distribution for effective management and research.
Article
Ecology
Lydia L. S. Margenau, Michael J. Cherry, Karl Miller, Elina P. Garrison, Richard B. Chandler
Summary: Long-term monitoring is essential for effective wildlife conservation, but current methods of density estimation are often expensive or challenging to implement on a large scale. The spatial mark-resight (SMR) models have recently gained popularity as a cost-effective solution that can estimate density using both marked and unmarked individuals. In this study, a generalized SMR model was developed to incorporate long-term camera data and auxiliary telemetry data, allowing for improved spatiotemporal inference in monitoring efforts. The model can be applied in two stages, reducing computational demands and making it more practical for large-scale, long-term monitoring initiatives.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Richard B. Chandler, Daniel A. Crawford, Elina P. Garrison, Karl Miller, Michael J. Cherry
Summary: Studies on animal abundance and distribution are often conducted separately from research on movement. However, a joint model incorporating camera trap and GPS telemetry data has been used to enhance understanding of deer population abundance and movement patterns.
Article
Ecology
H. N. Abernathy, R. B. Chandler, D. A. Crawford, E. P. Garrison, L. M. Conner, K. V. Miller, M. J. Cherry
Summary: Predation risk and ecological disturbance regimes can influence prey behavioral decisions. Studying the relationship between these factors can help in understanding how prey adapt to different predator and disturbance regimes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Florent Bled, Michael J. Cherry, Elina P. Garrison, Karl Miller, L. Mike Conner, Heather N. Abernathy, W. Hunter Ellsworth, Lydia L. S. Margenau, Daniel A. Crawford, Kristin N. Engebretsen, Brian D. Kelly, David B. Shindle, Richard B. Chandler
Summary: Large carnivore restoration programs, like the Florida panther restoration program in South Florida, can have significant impacts on prey populations such as the white-tailed deer. Panther predation was found to be the primary cause of death for deer, with the predation rate being much higher after the restoration effort. Increasing water depth had a negative impact on female deer survival, but drowning was not a common cause of mortality. It will be challenging to balance the competing demands of predator restoration and sustainable deer harvest.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)