During the summer of 1985, the effects of browsing by beaver were studied at two beaver ponds in Minnesota (46°50’N, 92°11’W). Pond one (colonized from 1980-1985) was located on a first-order stream while pond two (colonized for two years in the late 1970s, abandoned, and then recolonized in 1985) was on a second-order stream. Transects stretching from the pond edge to the end of beaver herbivory were established to set up to 66 plots at each pond. The plots included browsed and unbrowsed areas. Along with stem density and frequency, stumps eaten by beaver, and stems of all woody species were measured for diameter at stump height. This information was then used to calculate basal area, species composition, and to compare post browsed stands to pre-browsed conditions. In addition, pre- and post- colonization changes were calculated using the comparisons between browsed and unbrowsed plots.
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