Influence of biomimicry structures on ecosystem function in a Rocky Mountain incised stream

Rising levels of stream degradation have motivated a boom in restoration projects across the globe. However, post-restoration monitoring is still frequently lacking and does not always incorporate biotic responses to changes in the physical template. Beaver mimicry structures (BMS) are becoming a popular tool to restore degraded streams throughout the American West, but relatively little is known about how these installations influence both biotic and abiotic factors, with consequences for ecosystem functioning. We monitored basal resources, organic and inorganic material standing stocks, and macroinvertebrate density, biomass, and production to quantify functional responses to BMS installation. We compared conditions at BMS sites to naturally occurring beaver dam and reference riffle sites in a low-gradient stream in southwest Montana, USA. Thermal ranges were contracted, and daily maximum temperatures were higher, in the BMS treatment compared to the reference riffle treatment. Fine s...