caa a22 4500 475751515 CHVBK 20180406123525.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170329e20000501xx s 000 0 eng 10.1023/A:1009860512339 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1023/A:1009860512339 Lowland boreal forests characterization in Algonquin Provincial Park relative to beaver (Castor canadensis) foraging and edaphic factors [Elektronische Daten] [Noble Donkor, John Fryxell] Beaver (Caster canadensis) foraging and edaphic conditions can modify the vegetational characteristics of woody plant community in lowland boreal forests. Effective management of these areas requires an understanding of the relative contribution of these factors in shaping the woody plant community structure. Our objective was to quantify the effects of herbivory by beavers and edaphic conditions on woody plant community organization of lowland boreal forests surrounding beaver ponds. Woody vegetation and soils were sampled at 15 ponds occupied by beavers and one other pond abandoned by them in southern Algonquin Park, Ontario. We measured spatial variation in plant diversity, foraging rates and sapling recruitment of trees and shrubs along gradients of beaver foraging intensity and soil moisture, P, K, Mg, and pH. Beavers fed preferentially on a small number of deciduous species and the number of cut stems declined sharply with increasing distance from ponds. Conifers increased in relative dominance to deciduous species in the presence of beavers. Plant species richness and stem and basal area diversity peaked at intermediate distances (about 25m) from ponds. Sapling recruitment by non-preferred species was positively related to foraging intensity. Total stem abundance and basal area and sapling recruitment by four preferred species (Populus tremuloides, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum and Corylus cornuta) were negatively related to foraging intensity. However, by including Alnus rugosa and Salix bebbiana (also preferred by beavers) these patterns changed, becoming positively related to foraging intensity. There was also a pronounced gradient in soil moisture, which also decreased with distance from ponds. The other measured edaphic variables did not vary consistently with distance from ponds. Sapling recruitment in mesic versus xeric species varied consistently with hydrid conditions along the moisture gradient, such that variation in moisture also could produce the observed pattern of plant diversity. Diversity patterns changed three years after beaver abandonment of a pond, though sapling recruitment patterns in preferred and non-preferred species around the abandoned pond were similar to the occupied ponds. These observations suggest spatial variation in woody plant richness and diversity could be determined by combined effects of both herbivory (disturbance by beavers) and variable responses of different species to edaphic conditions. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000 Boreal forest structure nationallicence Herbivory nationallicence Soil factors nationallicence Southern Algonquin Park nationallicence Donkor Noble Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2H1, AB, Canada aut Fryxell John Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2H1, AB, Canada aut Plant Ecology Kluwer Academic Publishers 148/1(2000-05-01), 1-12 1385-0237 148:1<1 2000 148 11258 https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009860512339 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009860512339 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Donkor Noble Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2H1, AB, Canada aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Fryxell John Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2H1, AB, Canada aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Plant Ecology Kluwer Academic Publishers 148/1(2000-05-01), 1-12 1385-0237 148:1<1 2000 148 11258 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer