Lecture 9 Flashcards
Ret Mirabel
beaver net that shuts down the air conditioner function in the winter
Different beaver tail positions
forward tail position gives the back leg more mobility while grooming
communication: slaps the water with its tail, one type of tail slap happens when the beaver is alarmed
Beavers teeth
never stop growing
wear down as they chew
self sharpen and replace themselves
only one is used while cutting through trees
top two teeth anchor the beavers head to the tree, and one tooth does all of the cutting, switching from side to side
Beaver Generations
- old ones that started the colony
- beavers up to two years of age
- beavers younger than two years of age
The oldest generation drives out the beavers that are older than 2 years to make room for the younger ones
Beaver ponds
built for their own benefit, build a habitat
- good habitat for larvae
- Midges live in the mud and feed on material in the mud. When they are mature they float to the surface.
Whirligigs
travel in large groups on the surface of beaver ponds, predatory. Eyes are half above water and half below
Eclosion
the transformation from a nymph to an adult
skimmers
dragonflies that like fast flowing water, found primarily in beaver ponds (common whitetail)
American toads
live on land, burrow below the frost line for winter. Lay their eggs at the ponds edge in spring
Woodfrog
Special because it is freeze tolerant, also found in the tundra. Can live in a variety of conditions
Leopard frog
can tolerate the southern part of the boreal forest. live in ponds all year round, they are not freeze tolerant
Mink frog
found in the southern part of the boreal forest
Common merganser
Males leave in the winter and go to James and Hudson bay
Loons
dive and fish in the boreal forest
