A paleolimnological record of Holocene climate and environmental change in the Temagami region,northeastern Ontario

The Arcellacean (Thecamoebian) fauna was assessed in five Holocene sediment cores obtained from James and Granite lakes in the Temagami region of northeastern Ontario. In addition, palynological analysis was carried out on two of these cores, one each from James and Granite lakes. The first indication of postglacial colonization by plants was the appearance of rare Cupressaceae pollen, dated to 10,800 yr BP. Plant diversity began to increase by 10,770 yr BP when Pinus spp. and Larix migrated into the area. The first appearance of arcellaceans occurred after 9650 yr BP in assemblages dominated by Centropyxis constricta and opportunistic Centropyxis aculeata. High abundances of charophytes in the cores until 8800 yr BP indicated that macroalgae were proliferating at this time. This deposition is interpreted to have occurred during the draining of an ice-marginal lake following the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Based on pollen analysis, warmer conditions associated with the Holocene Hypsithermal prevailed in the area from 6250 to 4115 yr BP. The stable, open Great Lakes – St. Lawrence type forest that developed here at the beginning of the Hypsithermal continues to prevail to the present. The periodic colonization of the lake by beavers (Castor canadensis) acted as a control on water-level and eutrophication through the Holocene. Evidence of eutrophication was indicated in the core samples by the abundance of high levels of the alga Pediastrum and the arcellacean Cucurbitella tricuspis. Eutrophication periodically developed when beavers dammed a site, causing the rate of flow in drainage streams to slow and stagnant conditions occurred. When the site became depleted of the nearby trees, which were preferred by beaver (Betula, Alnus and Populus), the dam would be abandoned, causing the water-level to drop. Stagnant conditions were reduced as flow levels increased, reducing eutrophication and resulting in recovering forest stands. In addition, the lowering water levels would result in encroachment of the forest along the lake shore. This cycle occurred many times in the history of this lake as indicated by fluctuations in the size of arcellacean populations.     

Der Einfluß des Bibers (Castor fiber albicus) auf die Fauna (Odonata, Mollusca, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, Diptera) von Mittelgebirgsbächen in Hessen (Deutschland)

Due to the return of the beaver an increasing number of brooks become restored to a natural condition. It is characterized by an alternation of flowing and standing sectors. In the summer of 1995, different groups of organisms (Odonata, Mollusca, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, Diptera) of two brooks in the Spessart mountains (Hesse, Germany) were studied to compare the composition of invertebrates in beaver homeranges and in the non-influenced sectors above. The new living conditions resulted in the disappearance of some species (Drusus anulatus, Trich., Sericostoma personatum, Trich., Radix peregra, Gastr.). Nevertheless the beaver homeranges accommodate a significant higher number of species of dragon flies and damsel flies, molluscs and caddis flies than the brooks above the homeranges. The heterogeneity of natural river systems make a coexistence of running water and silent water organisms possible. The examinations result in a significant higher group dominance of ephemeras (i.p. Cloeon dipterum) in a beaver pond than in lenitic sectors conditioned by the gradient without beaver influence. Here the dominance of chironomids was much higher. High current sectors with their characteristic organisms are also present in the beaver homeranges. The higher number of insects is the basis of nourishment for predatory insects and fishes. The potential effects of beaver ponds on fishes are discussed.     

Minor effect of beaver dams on stream dissolved organic carbon in the catchment of a German drinking water reservoir

Rising concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) are negatively affecting the water quality in several drinking water reservoirs. The presence of beaver dams can influence surface water quality on a catchment scale. In recent years, beavers have been re-introduced in numerous locations in Central Europe. We investigated whether the presence of beaver dams in the catchment of a German drinking water reservoir impacts DOC quantity and quality in the streams entering the Wehebach reservoir in Germany.By comparing water quality upstream and downstream of beaver dams during three low discharge situations we did not find a significant effect of dams both on DOC quantity and quality. The analysis of long term monitoring data at the gauges showed that beaver dams had a negligible effect on the DOC load to the reservoir. DOC quantity was closely linked to iron concentration in the streams. Co-precipitation with iron minerals was an effective process removing DOC from the stream-water. By analyzing fluorescence excitation emission indices we show that beaver dams did not have a clear effect on DOC quality. We conclude that the presence of beaver dams has only small effects on water quality and is not a problem for water quality in the downstream drinking water reservoir.     

The effect of sub-alpine landslides on headwater stream gradient and beaver habitat

During previous work in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, we observed that headwater (first-order) streams draining landslides were often characterized by the presence of beaver (Castor canadensis) dams whereas other headwater tributaries typically lacked evidence of beaver. Here, we hypothesize that hummocky landslide topography attracts beaver. To test the hypothesis, we examined 10 landslides and 11 adjacent headwater streams in the area, noting location, vegetation, elevation, and evidence of beaver activity, and then compared the landslide and non-landslide headwater streams using the G-test to determine whether or not variables were independent of one another. We reject the null hypothesis that beaver dam presence is unrelated to landslide deposits (p = 0.003). We further hypothesize that this relationship results from differences in stream gradient and concavity between landslide streams and other streams. We found streams on landslides to have a greater portion of their gradients below what geologic and ecologic literature suggests is a reasonable upper threshold (12%) for beaver dam maintenance. Additionally, streams on landslides are more concave. We conclude that the relationship between beaver presence and landslides results from a higher proportion of reaches below the 12% threshold and increased concavity of headwater streams on landslides.     

Holocene beaver damming, fluvial geomorphology, and climate in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

We use beaver-pond deposits and geomorphic characteristics of small streams to assess long-term effects of beavers and climate change on Holocene fluvial activity in northern Yellowstone National Park. Although beaver damming has been considered a viable mechanism for major aggradation of mountain stream valleys, this has not been previously tested with stratigraphic and geochronologic data. Thirty-nine radiocarbon ages on beaver-pond deposits fall primarily within the last 4000 yr, but gaps in dated beaver occupation from ~ 2200–1800 and 950–750 cal yr BP correspond with severe droughts that likely caused low to ephemeral discharges in smaller streams, as in modern severe drought. Maximum channel gradient for reaches with Holocene beaver-pond deposits decreases with increasing basin area, implying that stream power limits beaver damming and pond sediment preservation. In northern Yellowstone, the patchy distribution and cumulative thickness of mostly < 2 m of beaver-pond deposits indicate that net aggradation forced by beaver damming is small, but beaver-enhanced aggradation in some glacial scour depressions is greater. Although 20th-century beaver loss and dam abandonment caused significant local channel incision, most downcutting along alluvial reaches of the study streams is unrelated to beaver dam abandonment or predates historic beaver extirpation.