Beavers, large members of the rodent family in North America, are often referred to as "ecosystem/keystone engineers" by wildfire 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 wetlands. Their dams slow down the flow of water, causing sediment to accumulate and creating a wetland habitat that supports a diverse range of plant and animal species. Without beavers, these wetlands would not exist, leading to a loss of biodiversity and reduced habitat for many species.
The removal of beavers from an ecosystem could have a significant impact on the surrounding environment. Without beavers to build dams and create wetlands, there would be an increase in the flow of water downstream, leading to erosion of riverbanks and loss of valuable topsoil. Additionally, the loss of wetland habitat would negatively impact species that rely on these areas for breeding, foraging, and shelter. Overall, the absence of beavers as ecosystem engineers could disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem and lead to cascading effects on the entire ecosystem.