Forage Preferences of the European Beaver Castor fiber: Implications for Re-introduction

O’Connell, Mark; Atkinson, Sophie; Gamez, K; Pickering, SP; Dutton, JS

doi:10.4103/0972-4923.49213

Cited by 12 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The majority of information on the beavers' foraging behaviour originates from studies on American beavers Castor canadensis (Jenkins, 1975, 1979, 1980; Belovsky, 1984; Johnston & Naiman, 1990; Doucet & Fryxell, 1993; Fryxell & Doucet, 1993; Macdonald et al , 1995; Nolet, 1996; Donkor & Fryxell, 1999; Fryxell, 2001; Raffel et al , 2009), and less information exists on the foraging behaviour of the Eurasian beaver (Simonsen, 1973; Histøl, 1989; Nolet, Hoekstra & Ottenheim, 1994; Haarberg & Rosell, 2006). Many of these results inform about beavers' browsing preference for particular woody plant species (Brenner, 1962; Aleksiuk, 1970; Jenkins, 1980; Nolet et al , 1994; Donkor & Fryxell, 1999; O'Connell et al , 2008). The use of non‐woody vegetation during the vegetation season has frequently been mentioned, but has been examined quantitatively only in a few studies (Northcott, 1971; Simonsen, 1973; Svendsen, 1980; Roberts & Arner, 1984; Histøl, 1989).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Feeding habits of reintroduced Eurasian beaver: spatial and seasonal variation in the use of food resources

et al. 2010

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The considerable impact of beavers on the species' composition and structure of plant communities has led to intensive research on their feeding habits. To date, most of the available data originate from monitoring gnawing on woody plants but they rarely include feeding on non-woody plants. This study presents data on the dietary composition of beavers during the vegetation season based on macroand micro-histological analysis of 97 faeces. The study was carried out during 2004-2008 at four sites in the Czech Republic. The proportion of particular food components in the macro-and micro-fractions was not significantly different, except for grasses, which were present at higher amounts in the macro-fraction. There were no differences in the dietary composition between sexes or between age groups. Generally, beavers consumed mostly deciduous trees and forbs. Consumption of grasses, aquatic plants and field crops was negligible. The seasonal and spatial variability in the dietary composition were influenced mostly by differences in the amount of deciduous trees and forbs in the diet. In spring, beavers consumed mainly deciduous trees. During summer and autumn, the proportion of forbs significantly increased at all study sites even though they dominated over deciduous trees only in the Bohemian Forest. High intra-specific variation in the amount of deciduous trees and forbs in summer faeces led to testing the influence of habitat structure on the dietary composition. The amount of deciduous trees in faeces positively correlated with the diversity and cover of riparian stands. The results showed a high degree of ecological plasticity in diet selection by reintroduced Eurasian beaver in the Czech Republic, but so far, there is no evidence that they cause high levels of damage to economically important trees or field crops.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Feeding habits of reintroduced Eurasian beaver: spatial and seasonal variation in the use of food resources

et al. 2010

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“…A good UK example is the reintroduction of the European beaver Castor fiber into Scotland. The beaver has been returned to many regions of Europe over recent decades with the aim of both reestablishing a native species and enhancing and extensifying wetland habitat . In the UK, the beaver was hunted to extinction in the 16th century, but in 2009, as part of a trial release aimed at gauging support for a full‐scale reintroduction of the species, 11 beavers were released into Knapdale Forest in Argyll (western Scotland).…”

Section: The Neglected Importance Of Ponds In Aquatic Landscapesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation of aquatic landscapes: ponds, lakes, and rivers as integrated systems

Sayer

2014

WIREs Water

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Although many wetlands have been lost, the European lowlands still hold a mosaic of aquatic habitats covering rivers, lakes, ponds, ditches, springs, and swamps. To effectively conserve this diverse and important resource, both scientific studies and management and restoration activities need to focus on all of the watery patches in the landscape and in turn on the linkages between them. Over recent years, catchment and landscape-based approaches to aquatic conservation have been on the rise. However, perhaps driven by a lack of legislative drivers, there remains a tendency to neglect small lakes, ponds, and headwater streams. With consideration of the current conservation scene in the UK, and using a small lowland river catchment (River Glaven, eastern England) as a case study, this paper outlines the strong need for an integrated approach to aquatic conservation that sees rivers, lakes, and ponds as habitat networks. It is proposed that river restoration needs to more fully embrace standing water habitats on floodplains (backwaters and ponds), frequently missing components in regulated rivers. Equally, is it argued that aquatic conservation strategies should focus more strongly on headwater areas where protecting/restoring networks of farmland ponds, ditches, and small streams should increase connectivity for aquatic species, while moderating floods and improving water quality for receiving systems. In this way, aquatic conservation should become a much more effective and sustainable activity with positive ecological consequences that cascade downstream and into the coastal zone.

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“…The Eurasian beaver ( Castor fiber ) and the North American beaver ( Castor canadensis ) are examples of strictly herbivorous rodents that use many herbaceous and woody plant species for food [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. As a consequence of their diverse diet, they are considered foraging generalists, and many publications have documented their foraging preferences [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Beaver foraging preferences are often explained in the context of optimal foraging theory (OFT) [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The beaver foraging preferences of woody plant species indicate that they prefer soft-wood species. In most of the studies, willows ( Salix) , hazels ( Corylus ), birches ( Betula ) and poplars ( Populus ), especially the quaking aspen Populus tremula in Europe, are preferred by beavers [ 9 , 10 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. The dominance of willow species in beaver diets has been reported for populations in the Czech Republic [ 38 ], Norway [ 9 ] and Poland [ 37 ], as well as in North America [ 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) Winter Foraging Preferences in Northern Poland—The Role of Woody Vegetation Composition and Anthropopression Level

Jackowiak

Busher²,

Krauze‐Gryz

2020

Animals

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We studied beavers’ dietary preferences and the role of several factors (such as plant species, size and anthropopression level) that affect the beavers’ foraging in northern Poland. Woody plants along the river were measured and classified according to species in six 100 m-long transects that were characterized by a diversified human disturbance level. Ivlev’s electivity index was used to present the beavers’ preferences for various plant species and sizes, and the generalized linear model was used to assess the significance of studied factors in beavers’ browsing choices. Most popular in the beavers’ diets were willows (Salix), maples (Acer) and alder (Alnus), but only willows and maples were preferred. We noted a decrease in the beavers’ foraging preference in parallel to an increase in the shoot diameter; plants with a diameter below 10 cm were preferred. All factors included in the generalized linear model (GLM) were significant in shaping the beavers’ foraging choices. A negative correlation between the shoot diameter and the human disturbance level was found, but the species composition of the browsed woody plants was the same in each transect. Beavers’ foraging preferences, as observed in our study, were similar to those described in the literature and confirmed the role of woody species and their diameters in shaping the beavers’ diet. We also suggested the potential role of anthropopression in the shaping of the beavers’ foraging behaviors.

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Forage Preferences of the European Beaver Castor fiber: Implications for Re-introduction

Cited by 12 publications

References 21 publications

Feeding habits of reintroduced Eurasian beaver: spatial and seasonal variation in the use of food resources

Feeding habits of reintroduced Eurasian beaver: spatial and seasonal variation in the use of food resources

Conservation of aquatic landscapes: ponds, lakes, and rivers as integrated systems

Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) Winter Foraging Preferences in Northern Poland—The Role of Woody Vegetation Composition and Anthropopression Level

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