Resource quality and beaver spatiotemporal dynamics

Little, Amanda

The following is taken from the introduction: 'In the following chapters, I explore and describe beaver ecology in general and at ANP using a recently developed complex systems approach. In Chapter 1, I introduce problems and issues in beaver ecology and then relate these to more specific problems at ANP. Chapter 2 introduces the hierarchical framework of systems organization that I use to generate the clarify inter-level relationships in beaver ecology. In Chapter 3, I describe four distinct levels of system organization corresponding to different spatiotemporal scales of beaver dynamics. At each scale, I discuss issues in beaver ecology as a whole and at ANP in particular using the systems framework. I demonstrate cross-scale management repercussions and generate theoretical links towards new veins of beaver research. Finally, I evaluate the framework's utility and applicability to beaver ecological and management issues in Chapter 4. Post-normal science holds that no single viewpoint has exclusive privilege or access to the truth. In keeping with this pragmatic philosophy, I emphasize that this thesis does not attempt to offer the correct model, or to disprove current theories used in beaver research. There are many nonequivalent ways of seeing the world. Rather, I will demonstrate how to use a helpful new intellectual framework in combination with field observation and published data and interpretations to generate new insights into system dynamics.' /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/