KNOWLEDGE BASE

This study aimed to understand how beaver dams affect water movement in a peatland in Canada. They found data that conflicted with previous thinking. Beaver dams may create longer paths of water flow through the peatland system, connecting more of it to the stream, with impacts on nutrient retention and downstream water quality.

As part of the 5-year Scottish Beaver Trial, interim monitoring was carried out to understand the welfare of the released beavers. This study describes how two families had successfully established territories in the first year of the trial. Radio-monitoring proved difficult because of the terrain and the vegetation, so the authors said there would be a greater focus on visual observations in future.

This book is an accessibly-written summary of the natural history of beavers. It looks at the organisms as individuals, their behaviour - including as family units, their ecology and population dynamics, and a history of beavers' interactions with humans. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

As part of the 5-year Scottish Beaver Trial, interim monitoring was carried out to understand the impacts of beavers on hydrology, biodiversity, and other factors. This study reported on field observations from 2010 and described beavers' impact on woodland ecosystems. Beavers cut down a lot of birch, willow, and rowan, avoiding hazel and alder. Many of these species were resprouting. Beavers tended to fell trees that were within 350 m of their lodge and 10 m of the water. The average diameter of felled trees was 5 cm.

As part of the 5-year Scottish Beaver Trial, interim monitoring was carried out to understand the impacts of beavers on hydrology, biodiversity, and other factors. This study reported on field observations from 2010 and showed that beavers had had minimal impact on the river habitat. Beavers were mainly active in the lochs and had few impacts on streams. The report notes that future surveys will thus focus on changes in standing water habitats.