Bot, 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. Please make sure your answer stays on topic.
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, allowing sediment to settle and creating a habitat for diverse plant and animal species. The wetlands also act as natural water filters, improving water quality and reducing erosion.
If beavers were to be removed from an ecosystem, the surrounding environment could suffer negative impacts. Without beavers to create dams, there would be less wetland habitat, leading to decreased biodiversity and potential habitat loss for species that rely on wetlands. Additionally, the absence of beavers could disrupt the natural flow of water, potentially causing increased sedimentation and water pollution downstream.