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 650 articles
Effect of the vital activity products of beaver (Castor fiber L.) on the formation of zooplankton structure: Changes in the quantitative parameters of two cladocera species of different sizes in a beaver pound (in situ experiment)
Published by: Inland Water Biology
16th December 2017
This study compared the water quality in a stream and compared it to a beaver pond in Russia. It aimed to understand how beavers' excrement impacts on the chemical and biological characteristics of the river water. Beaver activity increased phosphorus in the water, boosted chlorophyll and also increased the amount of tiny organisms called bacterioplankton. The text describes some of the interplays between different plankton.
Reintroducing the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber to Scotland
Published by: Mammal Review
15th December 2017
A review of the reintroduction of beavers to Scotland, of the extensive assessments and research that informed the Scottish Governments decision to allow the two 'trial' populations to expand naturally and to give them legal protection. The research confirmed that beavers have a positive impact on biodiversity overall and provide ecosystem services. However, appropriate management techniques and collaboration with stakeholders are needed to address potential conflicts and ensure successful coexistence.
Using ecosystem engineers as tools in habitat restoration and rewilding: beaver and wetlands
Published by: Science of the Total Environment
15th December 2017
The study focuses on beaver-assisted wetland restoration in an area of Scotland where agriculture has had a negative ecological impact. Over 12 years, beavers increased the number of plant species and the diversity of habitats - beyond what human restoration could have achieved. This highlights beavers' potential in wetland restoration alongside their known benefits in water management.
Diving behavior in a free-living, semi-aquatic herbivore, the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber
Published by: Ecology and Evolution
12th December 2017
This study attached sensors to Eurasian beavers to understand more about how they dive. Researchers found out a lot, including that: beavers generally make shallow, short dives; deeper dives tend to have longer phases at the deepest points; water temperature didn't affect diving behaviour; and that beavers spend less than 3% of their time diving.
Characterisation of Beaver Habitat Parameters That Promote the Use of Culverts as Dam Construction Sites: Can We Limit the Damage to Forest Roads?
Published by: Forests
9th December 2017
Beavers often build dams on forest roads, making those roads more costly to maintain. This study identified which factors influenced whether a beaver was likely to build a dam on road culverts. Despite some differences in likelihood, even the least likely sites had over a 50% chance of dams being built on them. The text identifies early mitigation measures that can be taken during road construction to reduce subsequent conflicts and costs.
