Through the creation of a vast network of channels, pools, and dams, beavers have been found to drastically improve the quality of water, prevent floods, and mitigate soil erosion. As a result of these impressive and far-reaching benefits, experts are recommending that beavers should be reintroduced across England.
The researchers found that the water leaving a beaver wetland is around three times cleaner than the water entering it, that the pools they form store up to 16 tonnes (17.6 tons) of carbon and 1 tonne (1.1 ton) of nitrogen, and that they prevent the sedimentation in downriver catchments. The findings are the preliminary results of a study looking into the impact that a colony of beavers in Devon, in the southwest of England, have had on the surrounding environment.
The reintroduction of beavers in England is controversial, particularly following the unofficial release of beavers that has occurred in Scotland. Some claim that they cause flooding and damage, others that they maintain the environment. This has led researchers from Exeter University to study their impact on the ecosystem.
No comments:
Post a Comment