Apart from being Canada’s national symbol and the face of the nickel, the beaver is an ingenious ecosystem engineer that plays a specific role in shaping the unique rural environment that Canadians take pride in:
1) Keystone Species: The beaver is considered a keystone species, and its ability to beneficially reshape and modify the ecosystem surrounding its habitat renders this species one of the largest contributors to Canada’s aquatic environments. Their removal would upset the balance of the ecosystem, causing collapse.
2) Ecosystem Functioning: Beavers ensure productive ecosystem functioning, which creates and upholds the natural beauty and species diversity of southern Ontario.
- alterations in hydrology, biogeochemistry, vegetation and ecosystem productivity
- beaver damming promotes sediment accumulation, water conservation and provides ideal colonization sites for herbaceous and riparian vegetation
3) Habitat Provisioning: Habitat modifications by beavers benefit a large number of wildlife species that depend on aquatic, wetland and riparian habitat.
- feeding, breeding, wintering and migration habitats for waterbirds, songbirds, wild turkey, etc.
- increased prey and forage resources for mammals like mink, muskrats, moose and deer
- improvements in water quality and habitat area for multiple fish species
No comments:
Post a Comment