Boundary dynamics at the aquatic-terrestrial interface: The influence of beaver and geomorphology
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Authors: C. A. Johnston, and R. J. Naiman
Date: 1987
Journal: Landscape Ecology
Volume: 1
Number: 1
Pages: 47-57
Summary of Methods: This article is a summary of the authors' previous work on how beaver influence the environment around them combined with 28 studies by other researchers.
Article Summary / Main Points: When beaver are present in a community, they are the driving force of abiotic and biotic fluxes in that landscape unit which the authors break up into patch bodies. A patch body is a volumetric landscape unit that accounts for not only the lateral boundaries, but also the vertical boundaries like soil and atmosphere. For instance, patch bodies around a beaver pond include the pond, both anaerobic and aerobic soil, the riparian area, and the atmosphere. Beaver impound the stream creating a larger surface water and riparian area. This increases anaerobic soils in the area and changes the relative humidity in the atmosphere. Changes in soils results in changes in microbial communities, which alters nutrient cycling in the patch body. By browsing the woody vegetation around their pond, beavers move nutrients and carbon. A reduction in vegetation changes wind patterns and how precipitation falls on the soil and vegetation surfaces. Beaver have the ability to change water tables, nutrient fluxes, soil properties, stand dynamics, and vegetation composition in their area of influence.
Vegetation Types: Riparian and Wetlands
MLRA Ecoregions: Not Applicable
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Scientific Opinion
Keywords: beaver, castor canadensis, patches, boundaries, herbivory
Annotation: This article describes generally how beavers affect the landscape using idea of a patch body. It is good overview of the processes beavers influence; however, it seems to be based primarily on the authors' experiences and investigations.
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