About me
About Me: Abi is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a minor in Zoology. She is currently wrapping up her senior year at UVU and wants to pursue postgraduate studies in veterinary science and plant-animal interactions to help the world of conservation. Outside of class, she can usually be found hiking to look for native plants and cacti with her dog Zak, or gardening with her cat, Sookie.
My Project: Do Invasive Species Make Cottonwoods More Susceptible to Beaver Foraging? Cottonwoods (Populus fremontii, P. acuminata, and P. angustifolia) are foundational riparian species in Utah and serve as a primary food and building resource for the North American beaver (Castor canadensis). Invasive species such as Tamarix sp. and Elaeagnus angustifolia increasingly dominate western riparian systems and may alter native plant chemistry through resource competition. It is suspected that elevated phenolic values influence the tree’s palatability to beavers, potentially making chemically altered cottonwoods more appealing. In this end, competition from non-native species could, through secondary impacts, make cottonwoods more or less palatable to beaver herbivory. Representing another way non-native species may outcompete native plants. The purpose of our research is to determine whether invasive species make cottonwoods more susceptible to beaver foraging. The goal is to understand how invasive species affect the phenolics of native cottonwoods and the resulting foraging behavior of beavers. Our methodology included the use of field surveys and controlled experiments. These surveys involved monitoring both the Provo River (Utah County) and the Jordan River (Salt Lake County) for cottonwood counts and invasive species growing in proximity, as well as evidence of beaver activity. Controlled experiments included growing sample cuttings of Populus fremontii, both alone and with Tamarix sp. in the same potting mix. Tests were then performed on the cuttings to analyze phenolic compounds using ANOVA. Based on the results, samples were placed along the Provo and Jordan rivers, where beaver activity was monitored using trail cameras. Research findings conclude that Populus sp. growing in proximity to invasive species exhibited higher beaver chew activity than those not growing near invasives, supporting the idea that invasive species play a role in plant–animal interactions in Utah riparian systems. Preliminary trials also demonstrate that cottonwoods grown under competition have higher levels of phenolics and that beavers prefer these plants over those not grown under competition. Our results demonstrate that invasive species can alter environments not just through direct competition, but can trigger changes that increase the use of native herbivores to their advantage. This implies that when managing riparian plant invasives, a greater understanding of competitive interactions and system management is needed. By understanding these plant–animal interactions, we can better inform conservation efforts, ecosystem management, and ecological restoration moving forward.
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