Do Beavers Promote the Invasion of Non-native Tamarix in the Grand Canyon Riparian Zone

Beavers (Castor canadensis Kuhl) can influence the competitive dynamics of plant species through selective foraging, collection of materials for dam creation, and alteration of hydrologic conditions. In the Grand Canyon National Park, the native Salix gooddingii C.R.Ball (Goodding?s willow) and Salix exigua Nutt. (coyote willow) are a staple food of beavers. Because Salix competes with the invasive Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb., land mangers are concerned that beavers may cause an increase in Tamarix through selective foraging of Salix. A spatial analysis was conducted to assess whether the presence of beavers correlates with the relative abundance of Salix and Tamarix. These methods were designed to detect a system-wide...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation, Journal Citation; Tags: Castor canadensis, Colorado River, Salix, Springer Netherlands, Wetlands, All tags... herbivory, plant-animal interactions, riparian vegetation, tamarisk, Fewer tags