KNOWLEDGE BASE

This study looked at the skulls of 25 Eurasian beavers of both sexes to understand their head shape. The measurements showed some big differences between male and female beavers, and the researchers found an interesting dent in the back of the skull.

Ecologists compared beaver-modified with beaver-free sites in Finland to understand beavers' role in supporting other mammals. They found that beaver activity increased mammal species richness by 83% - species like moose, otters, pine martens, and weasels used beaver areas more, especially in winter.

This study in north-western Poland found that, whilst adult wolves overwhelmingly ate ungulates such as deer, wolf pups ate much more beaver than their parents. This paper highlighted how more research was needed to understand how wolf diets change as they grow. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

In the USA, researchers explored how beavers generate ecological 'disturbances' outside of the dam itself. Willow cuttings from beavers' chewing often ended up downstream, where they sprouted, trapped sediment, and stabilised riverbanks. The cycle of dam building and abandonment was shown to have been shaping the landscape for thousands of years, affecting habitat diversity and floodplain carbon storage.

Within their ecosystems, mammals play a range of vital roles such as nutrient cycling, pollination, and habitat creation. Their decline threatens the wellbeing of humans and non-humans. In this text, North American beavers are cited as one example of an ecosystem engineer, alongside apex predators and burrowing mammals. The text goes on to discuss how the understanding of mammals has evolved and should be used to support their protection and conservation.