Science database
KNOWLEDGE BASE
We have gathered decades of scientific research from Great Britain, continental Europe and North America to share with people interested in diving deeper into the world of beavers.
This list of resources is being constantly amended and updated.
Showing 551 articles
Positive coexistence of water voles and beaver: water vole expansion in a beaver engineered wetland
Published by: Mammal Communications
18th May 2023
Survey data reveals that water voles, which are critically endangered, are expanding into newly engineered wetlands by beavers. Beaver wetlands could enhance water vole populations by offering habitat and refuge from predators, warranting further investigation as a nature recovery option.
Can reintroduction of beavers improve insect biodiversity?
Published by: Journal of Environmental Management
21st March 2023
Studying the effects of beaver reintroduction in Klosterheden, Denmark, this research found that the presence of beavers affected flying invertebrate biomass seasonally, while also positively impacting moth diversity and increasing vegetation productivity and riparian structure.
Learning to live with reintroduced species: beaver management groups are an adaptive process
Published by: Restoration Ecology
10th March 2023
Capturing lessons from the governance of two existing BMGs in Devon, this paper identifies that BMGs could provide a "front line" for the integration of a reintroduced species, and are not fixed in structure but adaptive, influenced by national policy direction. Their role or remit could be scaled back over time and integrated into existing structures or partnerships as knowledge of reintroduced species (such as beaver) grows and its presence becomes “normalized.”
There should also be sufficient flexibility in forthcoming policy to minimize constraint on the adaptive nature of BMGs and similar groups for other reintroduced species, if they are to facilitate a sustainable coexistence.
Testing a novel sonar-based approach for measuring water depth and monitoring sediment storage in beaver ponds
Published by: River Research and Applications
23rd November 2022
This experiment tested the performance of an off-the-shelf echo-sounding device called a 'fish-finder.' The aim was to see if it was as good as traditional, more expensive methods at mapping the depth and contours of a beaver pond. Results showed it accurately measured depths but had some problems in other areas. Despite this, the 'fish-finder' was seen as a suitable, cost-effective method for monitoring changes to complex, shallow wetlands like beaver ponds.
Exploring the dynamics of flow attenuation at a beaver dam sequence
Published by: Hydrological Processes
1st November 2022
This study investigates how beaver dams affect stream flow in southwest England. Using data from before and after beavers occupied the area, they found that beaver dams at this site increased the time between peak rainfall and peak stream flow, and reduced the frequency of high flows. In other words, beaver dams reduced flood risk at this location. This was mainly achieved by increasing the capacity for the floodplain to store water.
