Beaver foraging behaviour: Seasonal foraging specialization by a choosy generalist herbivore

Vorel, Aleš; Válková, Lenka; Hamšíková, Lenka; Maloň, Jaroslav; Korbelová, Jana

doi:10.1007/s00265-015-1936-7

Cited by 30 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 46 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Furthermore, those intermediate categories ('low', 'medium', 'high') were found to have a similar probability of containing signs of beaver activity. We can state therefore, that the BFI results align with our own empirical observations and those of other authors (Fustec et al 2001;Nolet and Rosell 1994;Vorel et al Temporal variability in habitat selection is not explicitly considered in this study, but we know that seasonal selection of habitat changes due to the increased availability of grasses, forbs, macrophytes and crops (Campbell-Palmer et al 2016;Law et al 2014;Svendsen 1980). Excluding macrophytes, for which there is no nationally available data, we have, as far as possible, included these types of habitat within the BFI to ensure that year-round habitat is accounted for.…”

Section: Modelling the Distribution Of Beaver Foraging Habitat And Dasupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Beaver Forage Index (BFI) model Vorel et al (2015) describe beaver as a choosy generalist, implying that, in habitats where their preferred woody forage materials (Salix spp. and Populus spp.)…”

Section: Modelling the Distribution Of Beaver Foraging Habitat And Damentioning

confidence: 99%

“…are present, beaver will preferentially feed on these species. However, in locations where these species are not available, or populations have occupied these areas, the behaviour of beaver becomes more generalist (Fustec et al 2001;Nolet and Rosell 1994;Vorel et al 2015). Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that any model that effectively incorporates willow or poplardominant riparian woodland will, to some extent, reasonably predict primary beaver habitat.…”

Section: Modelling the Distribution Of Beaver Foraging Habitat And Damentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Modelling Eurasian beaver foraging habitat and dam suitability, for predicting the location and number of dams throughout catchments in Great Britain

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) populations are expanding across Europe. Depending on location, beaver dams bring multiple benefits and/or require management. Using nationally available data, we developed: a Beaver Forage Index (BFI), identifying beaver foraging habitat, and a Beaver Dam Capacity (BDC) model, classifying suitability of river reaches for dam construction, to estimate location and number of dams at catchment scales. Models were executed across three catchments, in Great Britain (GB), containing beaver. An area of 6747 km 2 was analysed for BFI and 16,739 km of stream for BDC. Field surveys identified 258 km of channel containing beaver activity and 89 dams, providing data to test predictions. Models were evaluated using a categorical binomial Bayesian framework to calculate probability of foraging and dam construction. BFI and BDC models successfully categorised the use of reaches for foraging and damming, with higher scoring reaches being preferred. Highest scoring categories were ca. 31 and 79 times more likely to be used than the lowest for foraging and damming respectively. Zeroinflated negative binomial regression showed that modelled dam capacity was significantly related (p = 0.01) to observed damming and was used to predict numbers of dams that may occur. Estimated densities of dams, averaged across each catchment, ranged from 0.4 to 1.6 dams/km, though local densities may be up to 30 dams/km. These models provide fundamental information describing the distribution of beaver foraging habitat, where dams may be constructed and how many may occur. This supports the development of policy and management concerning the reintroduction and recolonisation of beaver.

show abstract

Section: Modelling the Distribution Of Beaver Foraging Habitat And Dasupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Modelling the Distribution Of Beaver Foraging Habitat And Damentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modelling the Distribution Of Beaver Foraging Habitat And Damentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Modelling Eurasian beaver foraging habitat and dam suitability, for predicting the location and number of dams throughout catchments in Great Britain

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A nemzetközi szakirodalom gazdag a hód életmódját vizsgáló publikációkban. Számos, a kontinens más országaiból származó információ áll rendelkezésre a rágáspreferencia és a táplálékválasztás (Nolet et al 1994, Haarberg & Rosell 2006, Krojerová-Prokešová et al 2010, Law et al 2014, Vorel et al 2015, a gát-és várépítés (Hartman & Törnlöv 2006, Fustec & Cormier 2007, Danilov és Fyodorov 2015, továbbá az élőhelyválasztás és élőhelyhasználat (Fustec et al 2001, Fustec et al 2003, John & Kostkan 2009, John et al 2010 témájában. Ezzel szemben a faj Kárpát-medencébe való visszatérése óta eltelt alig három évtized alatt kevés hasonló kérdésköröket vizsgáló, magyarországi terepi felméréseken alapuló tudományos publikáció (Varju & Jánoska 2015), illetve szakdolgozat (Czabán 2003, Právics 2012, Juhász 2017, Mátrai 2019 született.…”

Section: Bevezetésunclassified

“…Egy másik közép-európai országban, Csehországban végzett terepi kutatás ezek közül 15 nemzetség hasznosítását igazolta: legnagyobb arányban Salix, Populus, Ulmus, Quercus, Prunus, Fraxinus, Betula, Alnus és Acer, kisebb mértékben pedig Carpinus, Cornus, Corylus, Juglans, Robinia és Sambucus (Vorel et al 2015). Emellett pedig ugyanezen vizsgálat során négy, az adatközlők által nem említett vagy nem hasznosítottként említett nemzetség (Crataegus, Picea, Sorbus, Tilia) esetén is detektáltak rágásnyomokat (Vorel et al 2015). Táplálékválasztással és rágáspreferenciával kapcsolatban született hazai publikációk, szakdolgozatok, diplomamunkák szintén számos puhafa-, keményfa-és cserjefaj hód általi hasznosítását igazolták Magyarország különböző térségeiben (Czabán 2003, Právics 2012, Varju és Jánoska 2015, Mátrai 2019.…”

Section: Diszkusszióunclassified

Természetvédők és kutatók ismeretei az eurázsiai hód kapcsán a Kárpát-medencében II.: táplálkozás, építés, élőhelyválasztás, ismeretterjesztés

Juhász¹,

Biró²,

Babai³

et al. 2020

termvedkozlem

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We examined the knowledge of local nature conservationists and researchers associated with the Eurasian beaver through interviews. In the first part of our study (Juhász et al. 2019), we reported the spread of the beaver, recognisable beaver signs, possibilities of human-beaver coexistence and causes of mortality. In the second part (present paper), we show the answers to the questions related to the beaver's behaviour, communication about beavers, and perceptions about local inhabitants' knowledge. The informants observed the utilization of woody species belonging to 26 genera, the consumption of 19 herbaceous taxa, and the building of 15 herbaceous taxa into beaver dams and lodges. Furthermore, we gathered detailed information about the relation between habitat conditions and beaver activity (dam building, lodge construction and habitat selection). Data from the interviews about the beaver's behaviour can be a good complement to the results of field surveys, as well as help to better understand certain phenomena and to lay the foundations for new field research. The gaps in the knowledge of local people reported by the informants highlight that beavers' habits and effects should definitely be included in the general education about wetlands.

show abstract

Monitoring, modelling and managing beaver (Castor fiber) populations in the River Otter catchment, Great Britain

Graham

Puttock

Chant

et al. 2022

Ecol Sol and Evidence

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) were nearly hunted to extinction but have recovered to occupy much of their former range. Beaver were extirpated from Great Britain c. 400 years ago but have recently been reintroduced. The River Otter catchment, Devon was the site of the first licensed wild release of beavers in England. With further releases being considered, there is a need to better understand population dynamics of this native, keystone species to inform conservation and management. Field signs were surveyed from 2015 to 2021. A semi‐automated territory detection method was adopted to estimate territory counts. A spatially explicit model was developed to estimate the ecological territory capacity of the catchment. Future territory expansion was modelled using logistic growth curves; initial growth rate was estimated from observed territory counts and the estimated territory capacity range was used to define the limiting value of the growth curve. Beaver territory removal was simulated, across a range of management intensities and start times, to determine potential impacts of translocation or lethal control upon population dynamics. Territory numbers increased from four to 18, inclusive of four additionally released individuals, during study period. In the absence of population management, the territory capacity of the catchment was estimated to range between 120 and 183; this may be reached between 2028 and 2057. Simulated territory removal, where territories were removed at a fixed rate from the sum of the estimated total population and the population increase for that year, demonstrated large uncertainties in predicted population responses. Simulations with territory removals >3/year all predicted potential population collapse. This finding emphasizes the need for caution when considering population management strategies; translocation of animals out of the catchment or culling should be considered only when populations are established and all alternatives have been considered. These results provide critical information for the expected rate and magnitude of beaver population change in the River Otter catchment. The methods provide a reproducible and generalizable approach for understanding beaver population change, which can inform policy on the reintroduction of beavers and the potential timing and intensity of future beaver population management.

show abstract

Beaver foraging behaviour: Seasonal foraging specialization by a choosy generalist herbivore

Cited by 30 publications

References 46 publications

Modelling Eurasian beaver foraging habitat and dam suitability, for predicting the location and number of dams throughout catchments in Great Britain

Modelling Eurasian beaver foraging habitat and dam suitability, for predicting the location and number of dams throughout catchments in Great Britain

Természetvédők és kutatók ismeretei az eurázsiai hód kapcsán a Kárpát-medencében II.: táplálkozás, építés, élőhelyválasztás, ismeretterjesztés

Monitoring, modelling and managing beaver (Castor fiber) populations in the River Otter catchment, Great Britain

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About