The rapid invasion of trees and shrubs in this wetland had already begun by the time the 1976 photo was taken and was nearly complete in some areas by 2005. This photo pair captures significant changes resulting from drying of the landscape, changes in the local water table, or simply the natural course of succession in boreal ponds, which slowly fill with organic matter over time. Determining the cause of the changes visible in the photo pairs would require additional research and likely making direct measurements at the site. However, regardless of the cause, this significant degree of change will affect the way animals use the area and drastically alter the communities of plants and insects that are able to thrive there.