Posted by Nick Michienzi
sources: http://geographical.co.uk/nature/wildlife/item/1363-beavers-create-nitrogen-sinks
http://www.beaversolutions.com/beavers_keystone_species.asp
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/beaver/
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Beavers Saving the Day
Beavers are semi- aquatic large rodents. In case you didn't know. They enjoy using their powerful teeth to fell trees and makes dams in order to create ponds that they can then swim around in. They make their homes in stick, mud huts called lodges. Lodges are located usually at the center of the lake and can only be accessed under water. What is cool about all this is that Beavers are actually known as a keystone species. An animal that plays a unique or crucial role in the ecosystem it is a part of. Without that species the ecosystem would fall apart. It is really amazing how everything in an ecosystem works together. In the case of the Beaver, many species use Beaver ponds as their habitat. If the Beaver were to disappear, so would these species. Beavers have a huge role in biodiversity. Beavers even have some direct benefits to humans. They decrease the amount of damaging floods, remove pollutants from surface and ground water, decreasing erosion, and much more! A new way Beaver's help the environment has also just been discovered. They help create nitrogen sinks to rid waters of excess nitrogen. Nitrogen often finds its way to water through run offs. This increase can cause a huge bloom of algae. When algae dies and starts to decompose oxygen is consumed. This creates dead areas in the water for fish. However, in beaver made ponds there is bacteria present that eats nitrogen and prevents the problem. Just another way the Beaver is saving the day for its ecosystem across North America!
Posted by Nick Michienzi
sources: http://geographical.co.uk/nature/wildlife/item/1363-beavers-create-nitrogen-sinks
http://www.beaversolutions.com/beavers_keystone_species.asp
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/beaver/
Posted by Nick Michienzi
sources: http://geographical.co.uk/nature/wildlife/item/1363-beavers-create-nitrogen-sinks
http://www.beaversolutions.com/beavers_keystone_species.asp
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/beaver/
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This is a good example of a keystone species that most people probably don't think much about. Everyone knows what a beaver is, but most don't realize how important they are to the ecosystems they live in. If beaver populations declined significantly, we would certainly know because there would be many negative consequences in the beaver's aquatic habitat.
ReplyDeleteBradley Sarasin (Group 3)
This case reminds me of the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone to combat the overpopulation of elk in the park. Scientists didn't foresee the beneficial effects the reintroduction would have on the entire ecosystem. Astonishingly the reintroduction of wolves actually changed the geography of the landscape. With less Elk in certain areas tree populations grew and their root systems stabilized eroding river banks. Beavers clearly have a huge effect on their ecosystem just like the wolf.
ReplyDeleteAllen Currier
I researched into this a little when making this blog. Funny enough once wolves were introduced to the again Beavers came back with the improvements in the environment. Further increasing the biodiversity and the revival of Yellowstone
Deletecomment by Nick Michienzi
It's amazing how one species alone can be so beneficial to the eco system. I never realized how beneficial a beaver truly is to the environment. I think its amazing that they are able to decrease the amount of floods and remove pollutants from the water. Its crazy to think that if the beaver population declined or became extinct the ecosystem could drastically be affected in a negative way.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Thomas
Every species present has a role to do in his ecosystem. The absence of one species changes the life cycle and the entire ecosystem. I didn't know that much about beavers and it was good to know about their benefits to the environment and their role in the ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteMohammed Saleh
Personally, I have never heard about a keystone species. I also would not think of one as being a beaver. This is very interesting and eye opening that every animal is important in supporting the ecosystem! Hopefully their habitat won't be disturbed. I am curious about how many beavers are present in the ecosystem, and if they are abundant or sparse.
ReplyDeleteCara Murphy (3)
I never really knew how important that beavers were for the community they live in and create. I think that it is amazing that they help so many different organisms that are present in their ecosystem. What do you think would happen if they went extinct?
ReplyDeleteCaitlyn Cordaro
Based on what I have learned about Biology if Beavers went extinct I think obviously the ecosystems they are apart of would suffer and deteriorate. The organisms whose survival depends on beavers would also begin to decline in population. Due to this I think ecosystems involving Beavers would become harsher environments and only organisms that could survive there would
Deletecomment by Nick Michienzi
Who knew beavers were so important to the ecosystem! It is interesting that there isn't really another animal that has similar habits to the beaver so it makes sense that their disappearance could affect many species. It would be interesting to see if there are any damaging affects that beavers cause to the environment or ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteAshley Geary (1)
I think the fact that beavers help clear areas of nitrogen is a really interesting fact. Maybe we should bring more attention to beavers and protecting them, along with the environment itself of course, in order to reduce nitrogen content in rivers.
ReplyDeleteErina Taradai (Group 3)