Aspen Bibliography

Evidence of the Age of Beaver Ponds

W.H. Lawrence

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

The Journal of Wildlife Management

Volume

16

Issue

1

First Page

69

Last Page

79

Publication Date

1952

Abstract

Beaver through dam building and tree cutting activities produce changes in habitat some of which are persistent. The beaver meadow is an example of relatively stable conditions resulting from repeated beaver occupancy. The writer as well as numerous other investigators (Davis 1907, Warren 1932, Ives 1942, Robb 1942, and others) has observed this reoccupation of old ponds. The time interval between abandonment and subsequent reoccupation depends chiefly on food conditions and varies from a few years to 20 years or more. This alternation of use and disuse of certain pond-sites is the result of vegetational changes both within the boundaries of the former flowage and on the surrounding upland. When aspen or other preferred food species become abundant about the abandoned pond-site, beaver again move back into the area. After the food supply is exhausted the beaver move elsewhere

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