Honors College Thesis
 

Occurrence of beaver (Castor canadensis) in volcanically disturbed lentic habitat

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/honors_college_theses/cc08hp27c

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  • This study investigates the occurrence of beaver (Castor canadensis) in lentic habitat (lakes and ponds) near Mount St. Helens in Washington, 40 years after the 1980 eruption. At the coarse spatial scale, I surveyed lakes for sign of beaver establishment (lodge or den) across multiple volcanic disturbance zones. At a fine spatial scale, I investigated the presence-absence of beaver foraging activity in two complexes of ponds in the debris avalanche disturbance zone, where beavers forage in unoccupied ponds. Since the 1980 eruption, beavers have had ample time to disperse throughout the area impacted by the eruption, as suggested by literature on beaver dispersal and shown by occurrence across disturbance zones. Through comparative logistic regression models at both scales, I found that lake area was the strongest predictor of beaver residence, though distance from navigable stream may be a significant indicator with an increase in study sites. I found that a model including pond area and distance to nearest residence was best for predicting foraging activity at a pond. Determination of the extent and location of beaver occurrence and an analysis of factors influencing the likelihood of beaver establishment and foraging in lentic habitats can inform management practices in disturbed habitat.
  • Key Words: Castor canadensis, beaver colonization, logistic regression, Mount St. Helens
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  • Funding provided by the United States Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station.
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  • Pending Publication
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  • 2021-06-04 to 2023-07-15

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