Question

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

Beavers play a crucial role in creating habitats for various other species in the ecosystem. Their dams create ponds that offer shelter and breeding grounds for amphibians, fish, and other aquatic creatures. Additionally, the slow-moving water behind the dams allows for sediment to settle, improving water quality. If beavers were removed from the ecosystem, there could be a decrease in biodiversity as many species rely on the habitats they create. Furthermore, the absence of beavers could lead to increased erosion along riverbanks and a decrease in water quality due to the lack of natural filtration processes.