Beavers, large members of the rodent family in North America, are often referred to as

Question

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)

Answer 1

One potential benefit that beavers contribute to the ecosystem as keystone engineers is the creation of new habitats for other species. Their dams slow down water flow, creating ponds that attract a variety of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. Without beavers, these habitats would not exist, leading to a potential decrease in biodiversity in the area. Additionally, the removal of beavers could impact the water quality of the surrounding ecosystem, as their dams help filter out pollutants and sediment from the water, leading to decreased water quality and potentially harming other species that rely on the water source for survival.