D3290: Patterns in aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in boreal forest wetlands across a beaver-engineered successional landscape

Aquatic macroinvertebrate community composition is determined by multiple biotic and abiotic factors. We have conducted a field-based observational study to investigate how beaver activity and other wetland characteristics drive ecological patterns, specifically assemblages of aquatic macroinvertebrates. We surveyed for aquatic macroinvertebrates using a dip netting protocol over a four-year period (2019–2022) in 55 wetlands in Voyageurs National Park, located in the boreal forest of northern Minnesota. Preliminary statistical modeling and ordination analyses show assemblages, comprised of 40 invertebrate families within 16 orders (predominantly insects), are influenced by successional stage, wetland type, pond size, and geospatial location. This work contributes to the understanding of how beaver-driven successional dynamics and habitat characteristics affect the composition of invertebrate communities and provides insight into the potential use of assemblages of these environmentally sensitive organisms as indicators of ecological function.