Predicting Beaver Colony Density in Boreal Landscapes

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Abstract
We propose a method to quantitatively relate the proportion of beaver (Castor canadensis) created impoundments to beaver numbers and population trends. Stepwise multiple regression retained 4 of 11 beaver impoundments as positively or negatively related to colony density: shallow marsh (+), seasonally flooded meadow (-)pond (+), and wet deciduous shrub (-). The independent variables of shallow marsh and seasonally flooded meadow provided the best estimate of beaver colony densities. This model can be used in wildlife management and research as a technique to census historical beaver populations and to assess the effect of beaver on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.