Introduction As a result of a re-introduction project in 1981 the Eurasian Beaver returned to the Hürtgenwald, a large woodland area in the Eifel mountain range in the extreme west of Ger- many. In the course of a diploma thesis (S. Schloemer) we studied the effects of the large scale changes to dra- gonfly and damselfly com- munities in the narrow, originally wooded, moun- tain valleys of the northern eifel. Methods In order to compare beaver ponds with woodland streams representative of large areas north of the Alps, but yet not influenced by the beaver, we studied the following habitat types: 1. Natural springs (definite woodland springs) 2. Streams (natural - semi-natural in woodland, not influenced by the beaver) 3. Beaver ponds (some 10 -15 years old, up to 2000 m², sunny to half-shaded). 4. Beaver ponds abandoned for 1 to 3 years. All areas were searched for dragonflies and damselflies, their larvae and exuvia throughout the season in 2011 and 2012. In addition chemical and physical parameters such as pH- value, temperature, and water speed were measured at all sample sites, and makrozoobenthos collected, in order to gather information on the water quality in both the pre- sence and absence of the beaver. Institute of crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES) Department: Ecology of cultural landscape – Animal Ecology Results With a total of 29 species, the number of species in beaver ponds is markedly higher than in ponds without beavers (4 species). Even in abandoned beaver ponds the number of species is higher than in the streams (7 species). Conclusion: Despite the relatively short period of time since the return of the beaver, and the rather small number of beaver ponds, the ponds already now make a remarkable contribution to the conservation and spread of rare dragonfly and damselfly species. Beavers contribute markedly to nature and species conservation in the densely settled countryside of Central Europe. The species should therefore be more greatly integrated into plans to implement conservation measures and renaturisation of water bodies than it has been to date. Mean number of species in the four habitats Mean values of running water species source course of beaver abandoned stream pond beaver pond source course of beaver abandoned stream pond beaver pond 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 3,0 2,5 2,0 1,5 1,0 0,5 0 Habitat created by the beaver promotes species diversity and frequency of dragonflies and Damselflies fauna. Established species also profit from the newly created habitat. ● The extraordinary combinations of species (boreal alongside sub-Mediterranean species) ● The extremely different habitat requirements of the species ● The increase in typical stream dragonflies and damselflies in spite of damming by the beaver ● The increase in part of highly endangered species ▲ Stream Source Example: Rote Wehe ▲ Central stretch of the stream Example: Frenck ● Beaver pond Example: Thön ● Abandoned beaver pond Example: Frenck Leucorrhinia pectoralis; RL 1 Biberteich Rote Wehe Leucorrhinia rubicunda; RL 2 Calopteryx virgo Orthetrum coerulescens; RL1 Cordulegaster boltonii; RL3 Ceriagrion tenellum; was considered as missing in the eifel Foto: Lutz Dalbeck Foto Jochen Rodenkirchen D D i i v v e e r r s s i i t t y y o o f f s s p p e e c c i i e e s s i i n n B B e e a a v v e e r r p p o o n n d d s s T T h h e e e e f f f f e e c c t t o o f f t t h h e e E E u u r r a a s s i i a a n n B B e e a a v v e e r r C C a a s s t t o o r r f f i i b b e e r r L L . . o o n n D D r r a a g g o o n n f f l l i i e e s s a a n n d d D D a a m m s s e e l l f f l l i i e e s s ( ( O O d d o o n n a a t t a a ) ) i i n n t t h h e e N N o o r r d d e e i i f f e e l l / / N N R R W W . . Sara Schloemer 1 , Lutz Dalbeck 2 , Andreè Hamm 1 Contact address: 1 University of Bonn Institute of crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES) Department: Ecology of cultural landscape – Animal Ecology Melbweg 42, 53127 Bonn, Germany, tierö[email protected] 2 Biological Institute of Nature Conservation District of Düren e.V. Zerkaller Straße 5 52385 Nideggen, Germany [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Particularly notable are: Rote Wehe Weiße Wehe Frenck Thön 1000 0 1000 Meter ➤ The beaver-territory with its great variety of very different habitats offers living space for dragonflies and damselflies in any develop- mental stage. Wehebach Reservoir inflows Hürtgenwald