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 ti
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.dtrjdtjws6j
One potential benefit that beavers provide as keystone engineers is the creation of wetland habitats. The dams they build create ponds, which can provide shelter and food for a variety of wildlife species. These wetland areas also help to filter pollutants from the water and prevent erosion along riverbanks.
If beavers were to be removed from the ecosystem, the surrounding habitat could undergo significant changes. Without the dams created by beavers, water flow in the area may increase, leading to erosion of riverbanks and loss of valuable habitat for other species. The absence of beavers could also result in a decline in biodiversity as certain species that depend on the wetland habitats created by beavers may struggle to survive. Overall, the removal of beavers could disrupt the balance of the ecosystem and have far-reaching consequences on the surrounding environment.