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Exploring the Relationship Between Beaver (Castor canadensis) Dams and Macroinvertebrate Populations in Vermont Streams: Do Beavers Give a Dam?
Conklin, Christina
Conklin, Christina
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Abstract
The North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) is considered an ecosystem engineer
whose dams can change stream flow, water chemistry, and habitat conditions in ways that may
affect benthic macroinvertebrates. These effects, however, are unclear and understudied in
Vermont. This study evaluated macroinvertebrate richness, abundance, and evenness at 13 beaver
dam sites by sampling upstream and downstream reaches and measuring the effects of
environmental variables including canopy cover, temperature, pH, and total suspended solids.
Watershed pollutants were also investigated to evaluate the presence of known pollutants in
freshwater systems. Using kick-net sampling methods, macroinvertebrates were collected above
and below the known locations of beaver dams. Further investigation of the collected samples
included identifying specimens to the lowest taxonomic level. Across all sites, upstream and
downstream reaches did not differ significantly in richness, abundance, or evenness. Within the
environmental variables investigated, canopy cover was the only variable to differ between
upstream and downstream reaches. Indicating that upstream reaches have lower percentages of
canopy cover. All other environmental variables did not follow consistent upstream–downstream
trends. Modeling techniques indicated that no single environmental factor or upstream
downstream reach consistently predicted macroinvertebrate responses. These results suggest that
beaver dams in Vermont are associated with diverse local habitats but do not produce uniform
changes in macroinvertebrate communities, and that site-specific conditions may be influential in
macroinvertebrate composition. These findings can inform management decisions related to
beaver activity in Vermont and guide more accurate interpretation of bio-monitoring data in
beaver-affected streams.
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2026-05-08
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Environmental Sciences