Our largest native North American rodent dramatically improves habitats by eliminating the simple structure of streams and replacing that structure with a series of new habitats. Felled trees open canopy gaps allowing light to reach the forest floor. New beaver dams create ponds that favor standing water invertebrates, fish, and birds. Older ponds infill with silt and result in beaver meadows. And of course flowing water streams exist between these structures so the overall impact of beavers at the ecosystem scale is to diversify habitats. This episode focuses on the North American species but I briefly get into their European cousins also. I hope this brief chat helps foster an appreciation for these amazing animals.
