Beavers, large members of the rodent family in North America, are often referred to as “ecosystem/keystone engineers” by wildlife managers. Ecosystem engineers are described as animals that create, alter, or destroy a habitat. Beavers contribute to river ecosystems by bringing down old and dead trees along riverbanks. They use these trees to make their dams. Although these dams are primarily used for protection and food storage, scientists report that these dams change the surrounding environment in different ways.
Given this information, in three to five sentences, describe a potential benefit that beavers contribute to the ecosystem as keystone engineers and describe a plausible impact that the removal of beavers could have on the surrounding ecosystem. (4 points)
One potential benefit that beavers contribute to the ecosystem as keystone engineers is the creation of wetlands through their dam-building activities. These wetlands provide habitat for a variety of plant and animal species, including fish, amphibians, and waterfowl. The wetlands also help to improve water quality by filtering pollutants and sediment.
If beavers were to be removed from the ecosystem, there could be several negative impacts on the surrounding environment. Without beavers to create dams and wetlands, the natural flow of rivers could be disrupted, leading to increased erosion and flooding. Additionally, the loss of beavers as ecosystem engineers could result in a decline in biodiversity, as many species rely on the habitats created by beavers for food and shelter. Overall, the removal of beavers could have far-reaching effects on the health and stability of river ecosystems.