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 774 articles
Habitat Use and Preferences of Breeding Female Wood Ducks
Published by: Journal of Wildlife Management
1st January 2004
Researchers monitored 47 female wood ducks to understand their habitat use during the period of egg production. Habitat preferences varied between different ducks. Older ducks - and ducks making their nest early - tended to prefer beaver ponds as a habitat more than younger ducks and those who made their nests late. Overall, ducks adapted to different wetlands for breeding, and the authors suggest that habitat diversity is vital for their reproduction. Please note, this resource is not open-access.
Characteristics and temporal variability of large woody debris trapped in a reservoir on the River Rhone (Rhone): implications for river basin management
Published by: River Research and Applications
1st January 2004
Woody debris in rivers can provide important habitat, on the one hand, and increase flood risk, on the other. This study examined woody debris on the Rhône river in France. Most wood came from natural sources, with 83% broken or cut by beavers. The results also showed that more frequent floods led to more woody debris on the river. The larger pieces of wood (diameter >12.5cm) were mostly human-cut. Please note, this resource is not open-access.
Continuing Environmental Change – An Example from Nova Scotia
Published by: Canadian Field-Naturalist
1st January 2004
The last century of environmental changes in Nova Scotia is described, drawing on literature, community knowledge, and personal experience. The complex interactions of disease, human activity, and animal expansion are set out. The restoration of beavers is considered one of the major events of this history.
Felling and foraging: results of the first year of beaver (Castor fiber) activity in an enclosed Scottish site
Published by: Lutra
31st December 2003
This study preceded the trial reintroduction of beavers to Scotland. Predictions of their impact had been made based on data from other European countries. This study aimed to improve those predictions by examining beavers in captivity in Eastern Scotland. The first year of monitoring showed that willow trees were most favored for felling, with alder and birch also affected. The study also presents data on beavers' preferences for tree size and location, as well as the rate at which they felled trees.
Dissolved organic carbon in a northern boreal landscape
Published by: Global Biogeochemical Cycles
4th December 2003
Over 5 months of 1994, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was measured in the rain, in forest water, and in wetlands, with a view to understanding the role that DOC played in the carbon cycle of these Canadian boreal forests. DOC concentrations in peatland water and beaver ponds were especially high. However, low runoff from these same habitats led to led to limited DOC export from the ecosystem. High DOC in rainfall was suggested to result from local wildfires.