Beavers were recently reintroduced in my country to help the ecological system develop. All I know is that they build dams, which I would assume isn’t very good for river fish. I also just learned they tend to eat/use young trees, which can’t be good for the forest growth. How do they actually benifit the ecological system?
In: Earth Science
> which I would assume isn’t very good for river fish
“River fish” can live in freshwater lakes, and so can all the lake fish.
Beavers make lakes and wetlands, so that little bit of “destruction” you mention is accompanied by creation of entire new habitats for hundreds of species of birds, insects, marine life, land and marine plants, rodents and larger mammals…
The wetlands and lakes are great for the local watershed too. By slowing down drainage they protect against flooding and increase groundwater to last through droughts better. The wetland ground and plants also filter and purify the slow-moving water (both chemically and physically) much more than would have been happening in the faster pre-beaver river.
Latest Answers