KNOWLEDGE BASE

The rise in beaver populations globally has led to the creation of new wetland habitats. This paper summarises how this impacts on the carbon cycle and, potentially, climate change. Beaver ponds can increase carbon storage and increase greenhouse gas emissions and, at the moment, it's impossible to say what the net effect is. Wetland ecosystems change constantly so a lot more research is needed to understand the full impact. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

In the USA, there is less large wood in rivers than there used to be. This is due to beaver trapping and logging, amongst other things. Reduced large wood has led to a loss of habitat complexity, including pool habitats that support larger trout populations. Recovery from such habitat loss may takes decades or centuries.

In response to the Scottish Government announcing that Eurasian beavers would be allowed to stay in Scotland, this study aimed to understand how their activity might influence sensitive species and habitats in Scotland. It used a computer model to identify where beavers might build dams then looked for overlap with vulnerable habitats and species. The findings suggested that beaver activity could be extensive: overlapping little with areas of freshwater pearl mussel and Atlantic salmon but more with certain woodland habitats. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

This paper compared the food preferences of Eurasian beavers in two different Polish forests. Beavers preferred aspen in one forest, but showed a stronger preference for cherry, alder, and willow in the other. The paper also analysed the relationship between tree damage, tree size, and distance from lodges. Finally, the paper reported on the temporality of beaver activity - noting a peak in harvesting immediately before and after the winter season.

In this text, researchers summarised what was known about the extent of the beaver population in Rostov, Russia. Over 2,300 individuals were estimated, with a preference for building burrows over huts. The authors suggested that the beavers would likely expand in the future, southwards towards the Azov Sea. Please note, this text is mostly written in Russian.