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
Beavers – Nature’s Water Engineers: A summary of initial findings from the Devon Beaver Projects
Published by: Devon Wildlife Trust
1st January 2018
This report is a very visual scientific summary of the Devon Beaver Project. It looks at how the reintroduction of beavers has influenced the landscape, water quality, as well as local flora and fauna. The beavers helped, amongst other things, to mitigate agricultural water pollution.
Weekly Summer Diet of Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) in Northeastern Minnesota
Published by: The American Midland Naturalist
1st January 2018
This study in the USA examined the weekly diet of wolves from late June to early October by following a single pack and analysing their poo! The wolves' diet was varied and beavers made up a smaller proportion of their diet than anticipated. The text discussed why this might be the case, taking into account the availability of other prey and the times of year when beavers are most vulnerable to predation.
Methodological requirements for identifying lodges colonized by European beavers Castor fiber l. with the use of thermal imaging technology – preliminary results
Published by: Polish Journal of Natural Sciences
1st January 2018
In this document, scientists showed how thermal imaging can help confirm the presence of active beaver colonies. However, pre-existing survey methods, such as tracking, led to different results. The text discussed how best to use this thermal imaging method for surveying beaver colonies. In Figure 1, it also shows what a beaver lodge looks like in a thermal image!
The influence of periodic increases of human activity on crepuscular and nocturnal mammals: Testing the weekend effect
Published by: Behavioural Processes
1st January 2018
Researchers in the USA examined how weekend human activity affects wildlife. Over 6 months, they observed four different species. Whilst animals which are active in the day (diurnal) are often affected by increased human presence on weekends, nocturnal species like beavers and mountain lions did not respond to human activity. However, raccoons (nocturnal) and mule deer (active at dawn and dusk) adjusted their behaviour near campgrounds during the weekend. This suggests that the 'weekend effect' primarily affects diurnal animals. Please note, this resource is not open-access.
Beavers, livestock, and riparian synergies: Bringing small mammals into the picture
Published by: U.S. Department of Agriculture
1st January 2018
This book chapter discusses the role that beavers play in healthy river ecosystems in the USA. Beavers support diverse predator communities and regulate plant growth. Ecology aside, the text also briefly describes the reasons why beavers were over-hunted in the USA: their fur was an important export to Europe in the 1800s. The chapter mentions the damage that livestock can do to riverside ecosystems and discusses restoration strategies.