STIRLING, Scotland, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- In Scotland, beavers are better than no beavers -- at least for the environmental health.
Researchers at the University of Stirling analyzed acreage surrounding head water streams in the Scottish countryside where beaver activity was present and absent. Their study suggests the rodents provide several environmental benefits, including habitat diversification and biodiversity.
"Our study found that beaver behaviours have several benefits for the environment," lead researcher Nigel Willby said in a press release. "Their dam building skills help restore degraded streams and increase the complexity of the surrounding habitat, consequently increasing the number of species found by 28 per cent. The dams also help improve pollutant levels and store flood water."
An abundance of plant life was the most noticeable effect of beaver behavior. Beaver dams create interconnected pools, which researchers found encouraged the retention of seven times more organic matter than single, beaver-less pools. Multi-pool systems also supported 20 times more aquatic plant life.
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More vegetation translates to cleaner water. Streams hosting beavers featured significantly lower levels of phosphorous and nitrates.
"We discovered that dams helped restore local biodiversity, but also had value for nutrient retention and storage of water during flood peaks, suggesting benefits downstream," Willby explained.
Scottish regulators are preparing to make a several decisions related to beaver management -- decisions that could affect beaver distribution and population in Scotland.
The new findings -- published in the journal Freshwater Biology -- suggest beavers can prove especially valuable to low-quality stream habitats.
"These benefits, however, must be weighed against the potential for occasional negative impacts on fisheries, forestry and farm crops," Willby concluded.
