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)
One potential benefit that beavers contribute to the ecosystem as keystone engineers is the creation of wetlands. The beaver dams slow down the flow of water, causing sediments and nutrients to settle and creating new wetland habitats for a variety of species. The wetlands created by beavers can increase biodiversity and provide habitat for various wildlife.
If beavers were to be removed from the ecosystem, the loss of their engineering activities could have a significant impact on the surrounding environment. Without beavers creating dams and wetlands, there would be less water retention and filtration, leading to increased erosion and decreased water quality. The absence of beavers could also lead to a decline in biodiversity as species that rely on wetland habitats created by beavers would be negatively affected. Overall, the removal of beavers could disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem and have cascading effects on the entire ecosystem.