Red maple (Acer rubrum) inhibits feeding by beaver (Castor canadensis)

At many beaver (Castor canadensis) sites at Allegany State Park in New York State, red maple (Acer rubrum) is the only or one of the few tree species left standing at the ponds' edges. The relative palatability of red maple (RM) was studied in three ways. (1) At seven beaver sites, the available and utilized trees were recorded and an electivity index (E) computed. Of 15 tree species, RM ranked second or fourth lowest. (2) In experiment I, RM, sugar maple (A. saccharum, SM), and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) logs were presented cafeteria style at 10 colonies. RM was the least preferred. (3) Bark of RM was extracted with solvents. Aspen logs were painted (experiment II) or soaked (experiment III) with this RM extract and presented to beaver cafeteria-style, along with aspen and RM controls. This treatment rendered aspen logs less palatable, indicating that a chemical factor had been transferred.