KNOWLEDGE BASE

Beavers modify streams through dam building, burrowing, and tree felling. This review explored the impacts of such activity on the 19 amphibian species found in central and northern Europe. All are found in beaver ponds, making beaver ponds potentially one of the most important amphibian habitats in northern and central Europe. The article goes into much more detail, for example differentiating between their impact on big rivers versus small streams.

This book covers a wide range of topics related to managing the relatively dense beaver populations in the countries around the Baltic Sea. It covers laws in each country, beavers' ecological impacts, and their potential socio-economic impacts. It also sets out different options for managing beaver populations, including specific engagement methods, tools for decision-making, and physical techniques for protecting certain environments. The book aims to foster cross-border learning. Inside, you can even find a number of beaver recipes.

This article examines how beavers are distributed across a large area of eastern Slovakia, comparing observations (of features such as lodges, gnawed trees, and dams) across a period of 4 years. It estimates that around 34 beaver families are living in an area of 805 square kilometres, a signifcant increase during this period. The authors calculate a variety of quantitative metrics to describe the current population and distribution of beavers.

This paper explored how the shape of the landscape influences beavers' impact on biodiversity and water quality. It compared two areas where beavers live in Switzerland: one a flat, open basin; the other a steeper, ravine-like basin. Both sites had some things in common (such as how the chemistry of the water evolved over the seasons) but also differed in many ways. The two sites, for example, supported different types of invertebrates, including insects. The impact of beavers, therefore, must take into account the nature of the surrounding landscape!

This study tested if dogs could match individual Eurasian beavers using their anal gland secretions. Dogs successfully matched beavers with almost 90% accuracy, suggesting they can be a reliable alternative to DNA analysis and live trapping in monitoring beavers for conservation projects.