Investigation Folio Task: Science as a Human Endeavour

Biology (Term 2)

Chosen Species: The Eurasion Beaver (Castor Canadensis and the Castor Fiber)

What is a Keystone:
The term Keystone Species was coined by Ecologist Robert Paine and it refers to an organism that is crucial to the survival to an
ecosystem. Without these keystone species, ecosystems wouldn’t be able to adapt to environmental changes. There are three
types of Keystones species which are: Predators, Mutualists and Engineers. [1] - (National Geographic Society, 2012)

Engineers:
Engineers are species which specialize in the modification of their environment. By playing a critical role in refashioning the
environment, these engineers these affect the many other species in the ecosystem by providing and maintaining mirohabitats
allowing the survival of biodiversity. An example of an Engineer is the beaver. [2 ] - (Chandler, 2018)

Beaver:
Beavers are a type of big rodent which is suited for semi-aquatic life. They have thick waterproof fur, transparent eyelids, webbed
feet and a rudder-like tail for propelling themselves through water. There are two types of beaver species, these are the North
American Beaver (Castor Canadensis) and the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber). [3] (Bradford, 2015)
The Beaver demonstrates being an engineer through its behavioural activities in making dams along riverbanks by using old or
dead trees. They manipulate the waterways through their dams by diverting water, creating wetlants providing habitat for other
species. [4] - (Washington Nature Mapping Foundation, 2008)

The beavers preferred habitat is the fresh waterbanks (ponds, rivers, lakes, swamps and marshes) as they obtain nutrition and
materials from trees. They use the water ways as a mode of transportation.
[5] - (The National Wildlife Federation, 2010)
American beavers are found commonly throughout North America with the exception of California, parts of Utah, parts of Arizona
and Nevada deserts.
The Eurasian beaver on the other hand is only found in small numbers around in Germany, Poland, Entral Russia and southern
Scandanavia. [6] - (Aldridge, 2009)
The Eurasian beaver once live all round Asia and Europe especially being native in the United Kingdom (British Isles) however
because of mass hunting, their numbers have dropped and the beaver became extinct in 16th century in major parts of Europe and
Asia. Currently, the Eurasian beaver is considered extinct.

Human Activities:

Besides their common predators: lynx, red foxes and eurasian wolves. Historically, human have had a great negative impact on the
Eurasian Beaver’s population. Since the 16th century the beavers have been over-hunted in order to obtain their fur (for material)
and castoreum. Castoreum is a musk-like substance in the scent glands of beavers, this popularly used in medicines and perfumes.
Along with overhunting, the Eurasian beaver population has been decreasing due to habitat loss caused by deforestation and
pollution. At the turn of the 20th century, there remained only 1,200 Eurasion beavers left in the wild. [7] - (Schueman, 2022)

Without the beaver present, areas would be overcrowded by trees (as there would be no beavers to thin them and make room for
new trees) an, more aggressive plants would dominate the area more with the lack of predators and would overgrow. This would
cause less diversity in species as many species rely on beavers and their dams. For example, as many birds rely on dams, the birds
would suffer endangerment or have to find a different ways to adapt to the environment.
[8] - (Butler, 2021)
SHE CONCEPT - (Development))

Development: ‘What are the considerations needed for scientists and conservation groups need to consider in order to reintroduce
an endangered species into the environment ethically and minimise conflict?’

The United Kingdom started reintroduction of an endangered species in 2002, the first official reintroduction occurred in Kent.
However, there were unlicensed releases of endangered animals (including the Signal Crayfish) in the wild dating back to 20 years.
[9] - (Ashworth, 2022)
Unliscenced reintroduction are illegal, thus before releasing an endagered population into the wild, there needs to be planning. As
Eurasian beavers are rising, there becomes consequences caused by its activity, and there’s potential for them to come to into
conflict with land. For example, the socio-economic interests from beavers increasing where rivers are drastically altered which can
result in land belonging to farmers flooding and damage to crops. Problems such as these can be managed using techniques in
order to protect individual trees, reduce flooding and preventing burrowing into banks.

These issues have been a topic of intense investigation and public debate. So, heavily researched influenced decision making was in
order. Countries such as Scotland have extensive multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work was conducted to assess whether
reintroduction was desirable and feasible. The work focused on European and North American experiences living with beavers,
trials of reintroduction and observations of beavers interactions with other species such as salminoids. From the study, it is
confirmed that beavers have a desirable influence on biodiversity overall, although it may harmfully affect specific species and
habitats of high conservation value if managements are not considered. [10] - (Gaywood, 2018)

In order to manage the beavers and their activity techniques are developed across Europe and North America. These techniques
range from non-lethal methods (such as, dam migration, tree guards and bank protection) to lethal control. These techniques have
varied results, implications for animal welfare, legal cosiderations and costs.
Considerations for management decisions must be taken into account to preserve the conservation of Eurasian beavers and the
perceived negative impacts that they cause. By having effective management techniques in place, it allows scientists and animal
conservationist to monitor the activity of the beavers such as, its interactions with surrounding environments (such as other
species and habitats) and beaver genetics (to improve reproduction and prevent out-breeding depression and inbreeding and
further devlope genetic diversity).
[11] - (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 2021)
However, not all techniques are ethical and need refinement as they may not be as effective in the goal of management and may
inflict more harm towards the endangered species. So it is of high interest that the techniques need development inorder to make
reintroduction safe for the beavers their ecosystem. [10] - (Gaywood, 2018)

Along with techniques, in order to reintroduce the Eurasian beaver, laws and policies need to be followed. For example, the
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Natural England plus, different other polices from UK nations
regulates the reintroduction of species in England.
Codes and regulations such as:

- Ensuring that species isn’t invasive or destructive (which could damage UK ecosystems)
- It’s native to Great Britain (unless a clear conservation benefit can be demonstrated)
- License is required for certain protected and controlled species listed in Schedule Nine: of the Wildlife and
Countryside Act 1981.
- Programs and individuals must identify their conservation goals and whether the reintroduced the species is
feasible.
- Programs and individuals must gain permission from relevant land owners and official bodies to execute a
release.

Other requirements that conservation programs and individuals should consider is the opinions and comments taken to
their local stakeholders who support their plans along with, ensuring that program is helps maximise the benefits of
reintroducing the species. [9] - (Ashworth, 2022)
However, DEFRA has yet to reintroduce the Eurasian Beaver as it has not been able to obtain the licensing for its release.
Thus, the species is still unavailable in Britain.
 Through all of this work conservation programs and individuals of taken careful consideration of the research needed to
determine whether the the endangered species has the deriable impact, can be feasibly restored, how its activity can be
managed and taking consideration the codes and regulations need for a lawful and liscensed reintroduction, the Eurasian
beaver was able to be conserved.

An example of this is The Scottish Government with the successful reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver. The government
provided full legal protection for the Eurasian beaver (As a European Protected Species under the Habitats Regulations
around as early as 2018). This making licences required from SNH for certain species that impact the beavers. Any releases
requires a licence from SNH. Techniques have been developed in responding to both legal constraints and fufillinhg the
interest in the use of non-lethal wildlife solutions. Depending on the type of management techniques, some will require
licence. When the beavers are reintroduced into a river system, they will spread and occupy accessible habitats
throughout catchments. Dambuilding will be more commonly done in catchments on the larger rivers. The beavers will be
able to move into smaller waterways which have benefits and conflicts. The current management solution is to limit
beavers in specific areas through a consistent process removal through trapping or culling (with some drawbacks to
long-term costs), if the beaver is causing more conflicts. An alternative idea of beaver management on a longterm basis to
reduce conflicts would be creating buffer zones’ where beaver activity can be separated from human activity. [10] -
(Gaywood, 2018)

Concluision:

‘What are the considerations needed for scientists and conservation groups need to consider in order to reintroduce an endangered
species into the environment minimise conflict?’

This report focuses on Development. A question was created surrounding the processes that are required for conservation groups
to make efficient, ethical and desirable reintroduction of an endangered species. This information is useful in reintroducing the
Eurasian Beaver back into the wetlands to maximise the benefits and solve conflicts that the activity of the beaver can cause to
their surrounding environment, specific species and human activity.

The Eurasian beaver was a highly endangered keystone species which its extinction could cause significant negative impacts
towards river and waterbed ecosystems. The main factor of its decline is mainly the historical overhunting since the 16th century
for human production. In the 21st century, it is research showed that the Eurasian beaver held deriable impacts on their ecosystem
such as, creating new habitats for species in the form of dams, attract fish and feast on dying plants…
In 2021 the Eurasian beaver (Castor Fiber) is listed as: Least Concerned. The population of the Eurasian Beaver continues to rise
through the occurring in over 25 European countiriesincluding but not limited to: Austria, Serbia, Hungary, Scandinavia and
Scotland according to the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [11] - (Batbold, J., Batsaikhan, N., Shar, S., Hutterer, R.,
Kryštufek, B., Yigit, N., Mitsainas, G. & Palomo, L., 2021)
Because of the work those countries have done to develop appropriate ways to manage the conflicts done by the beavers, getting
approval and understanding its ecology; slowly the Beaver’s population is able to restored in favour of the environment, ecosystem,
and general public.

Bibliography:

[1] - National Geographic Society (2012). keystone species. [online] National Geographic Society. Available at:
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/keystone-species/.

[2] - Chandler, H. (2018). Ecosystem Engineers: Creating Habitat for Others. [online] The Orianne Society. Available at:
https://www.oriannesociety.org/science-of-scales/ecosystem-engineers-creating-habitat-for-others/?v=400b9db48e62.
[3] - Bradford, A. (2015). Facts About Beavers. [online] Live Science. Available at:
https://www.livescience.com/52460-beavers.html.

[4] - Washington Nature Mapping Foundation (2008). Beaver Facts - NatureMapping. [online] naturemappingfoundation.org.
Available at:
http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/beaver_712.html#:~:text=Behavior%3A%20Beavers%20are%20mostly%20noct
urnal.

[5] - The National Wildlife Federation (2010). American Beaver. [online] National Wildlife Federation. Available at:
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/American-Beaver#:~:text=Beavers%20live%20in%20ponds
%2C%20lakes.

[6] - Aldridge, V. (2009). Castor canadensis (beaver). [online] www.cabi.org. Available at:
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/90583.

[7] - Schueman, L.J. (2022). Eurasian beavers: a keystone species that keep waterways clean. [online] One Earth. Available at:
https://www.oneearth.org/species-of-the-week-eurasian-beavers/.

[8] - Butler, M. (2021). How Do Beaver Dams Affect The Environment? [online] Forest Wildlife. Available at:
https://www.forestwildlife.org/how-do-beaver-dams-affect-the-environment/#:~:text=into%20the%20air.-.

[9] - Ashworth, J. (2022). Beavers reintroduced to London after 400 years. [online] www.nhm.ac.uk. Available at:
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/march/beavers-reintroduced-to-london-after-400-years.html.

[10] - Gaywood, M. (2018). Reintroducing the Eurasian Beaver to Scotland. [online] Research Gate.com. Available at:
file:///media/fuse/drivefs-8cd2142ac2c83ec744428ab89023c11a/root/Gaywood2018-ReintroducingtheEurasianbeaverCastorfibert
oScotland-MammalReview.pdf.

[11] - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2021). Beaver Reintroduction in the UK. [online] The RSPB. Available at:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/policy-insight/species/beaver-reintroduction-in-the-uk/.

[12] - Batbold, J., Batsaikhan, N., Shar, S., Hutterer, R., Kryštufek, B., Yigit, N., Mitsainas, G. & Palomo, L. 2021. Castor fiber
(amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T4007A197499749.
https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T4007A197499749.en. Accessed on 19 June 2022.