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.
One potential benefit that beavers contribute to the ecosystem as keystone engineers is the creation of wetland habitats. By building dams, beavers create ponds that provide habitats for various species of fish, birds, and other wildlife. These wetlands also act as carbon sinks, helping to mitigate climate change by storing carbon in the soil and vegetation.
If beavers were to be removed from the ecosystem, the surrounding environment could suffer negative consequences. Without beavers to maintain the dams and ponds, water flow in rivers could become unbalanced, leading to erosion and loss of habitat for many species that depend on these wetland areas. Additionally, the absence of beavers could result in a decrease in biodiversity and a disruption of the natural balance within the ecosystem.