Oral Presentations and Performances: Session III
Project Type
Presentation
Project Funding and Affiliations
UM Wildlife Biology, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, and The Bureau of Land Management
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Lisa Eby
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Wildlife Biology, FCFC
Additional Mentor
Colleen Piper (colleen.piper@umconnect.umt.edu)
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Human activities and climate change continue to impact wildlife populations and ecosystem integrity. In Montana’s semi-arid prairie ecosystems, the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) may increase the resistance and resilience of water-limited ecosystems and promote wildlife activity for both aquatic and terrestrial species. However, there is still limited understanding regarding the influence of beaver dams on wildlife use in these semi-arid, prairie ecosystems. Through a camera-trap study, we sought to examine how wildlife use, across taxa, is associated with beaver dams and water availability during the summer on small prairie streams in eastern Montana. We deployed motion-activated cameras that recorded nightly wildlife activity from 7 PM to 7 AM (June through September 2025) across interspersed beaver-dammed and unimpounded sites on small prairie streams. Wildlife species and presence or absence of water was determined from photos, which showed that drying events occurred at both beaver-dammed and unimpounded sites. To date we have completed photo processing for 71 cameras and have identified 17 mammal species and 5 groups of bird species, including waterfowl and songbirds. For our next steps, we will examine whether wildlife differentially use sites influenced by beaver. This project will provide useful insights into how wildlife use beaver-dammed and undammed sections of small streams, as well as how that use changes throughout the summer in response to changing water availability in eastern Montana prairies.
Category
Life Sciences
Wildlife Use of Prairie Streams Relative to Beaver Dams and Water
UC 327
Human activities and climate change continue to impact wildlife populations and ecosystem integrity. In Montana’s semi-arid prairie ecosystems, the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) may increase the resistance and resilience of water-limited ecosystems and promote wildlife activity for both aquatic and terrestrial species. However, there is still limited understanding regarding the influence of beaver dams on wildlife use in these semi-arid, prairie ecosystems. Through a camera-trap study, we sought to examine how wildlife use, across taxa, is associated with beaver dams and water availability during the summer on small prairie streams in eastern Montana. We deployed motion-activated cameras that recorded nightly wildlife activity from 7 PM to 7 AM (June through September 2025) across interspersed beaver-dammed and unimpounded sites on small prairie streams. Wildlife species and presence or absence of water was determined from photos, which showed that drying events occurred at both beaver-dammed and unimpounded sites. To date we have completed photo processing for 71 cameras and have identified 17 mammal species and 5 groups of bird species, including waterfowl and songbirds. For our next steps, we will examine whether wildlife differentially use sites influenced by beaver. This project will provide useful insights into how wildlife use beaver-dammed and undammed sections of small streams, as well as how that use changes throughout the summer in response to changing water availability in eastern Montana prairies.