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EUROPEAN BEAVER HABITAT
Vegetation In certain environments, beavers have an exceptional ability to alter their surroundings and it is perhaps their effect on vegetation which is most striking. The slow-moving waters of a beaver pond can provide a new habitat for aquatic and semi-aquatic grasses that cannot thrive in the faster currents. They are busy animals, moving woody and plant material throughout their home range, some of which regenerates in its new location. On land, beavers fell small trees and bushes for food and for dam construction materials, a habit which has positive effects on biodiversity. The trees and shrubs are thinned and coppiced as opposed to clearfelled which allows more light to reach the woodland floor, thus encouraging a more diverse ground flora, while the greater availability of deadwood provides habitat for fungi. In poorer quality habitats, when the food supply is exhausted, the beavers will move on and the old dam will slowly begin to fail without the constant maintenance and the pond will drain away. The site of the pond will be invaded by sedges and grasses which take advantage of the nutrient-rich soil. These gently sloping areas or 'beaver meadows' will eventually become dry and stable enough to support tree growth, as well as grazing for deer and other creatures, as the site completes the transition to riparian woodland habitat. Water Beaver ponds can mitigate the negative effects of extreme flow conditions by acting as a store of water ensuring a constant flow during dry periods while dams can slow water velocity during periods of high flow. The large quantity of organic matter that enters the beaver pond either by the direct action of the beavers themselves or by other natural processes can have a significant impact on aquatic life-forms by increasing nutrient levels in otherwise impoverished streams. The increased interaction between the slower water and the mixture of sediment and organic deposits in the beaver pond can reduce acidity in streams caused by atmospheric pollution and run-off released by silvicultural operations on peaty soils. Less acidic water is healthier for fish.
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