KNOWLEDGE BASE

Researchers studied how beavers affect vegetation, small mammals, and amphibians. They compared stretches of 5 streams in Oregon, USA - some occupied by beavers and some unoccupied. They found that beaver-influenced areas of the streams had more diverse plant life and had a higher presence of certain mammalian species. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

This book recounts the history of wildlife conservation from the 19th century to today's global movement. It explores the legacy of big game hunting, battles for national parks, and debates on sustainable wildlife use. The over-hunting of beavers is mentioned as having moved President Roosevelt in the earliest days of the National Parks movement in the USA. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

This study describes the Eurasian beaver's return to Luxembourg. Researchers describe beaver activity along a river between 2000 and 2002, demonstrating a preference for cutting willow trees, especially those which are small and close to the water. This matches findings in other places and shows the importance of riverside plants for beaver conservation.

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.

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.