Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Snags In Beaver Ponds And Indications Of Use By Primary Cavity-Nesting Birds In The Western Oregon Cascades, Jacqueline I. Fern

Dissertations and Theses

Dead trees, or snag , are used by primary cavity-nesting birds for nesting, foraging, and roosting and are essential habitat for the e species. Snags formed in beaver ponds due to flooded conditions are utilized by a variety of woodpecker species. In this study I quantified and compared snag density, size, decay characteristics, and excavations in beaver ponds and in forested riparian sites without beaver influence (reference sites) in the western Oregon Cascades. Beaver ponds were treated as a pooled group (n=8) and also categorized into old (n=5) and new (n=3) classes based on decay indicators. Reference sites (n=8) were …