Beavers
Beavers
Beavers are remarkable animals with elaborate construction capabilities and social behaviors.
Learning Objective: List characteristics of beavers, including their structures, behaviors, and role as a keystone species that impacts ecosystems.
This is the fossilized tooth of the extinct giant beaver that lived as recently as 60,000 years ago in North America. It was approximately seven feet in length and weighed up to 270 pounds.
Only two beaver species are extant (currently alive on Earth): the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) and the North American beaver (Castor canadensis).
This is the Eurasian beaver, most of the rest of the photos will be of the North American beaver.
Beavers are often referred to as “nature’s engineers” due to the size and complexity of their structures.
Dam
Beavers build dams out of tree stems, reducing stream flow and creating a pond behind the dam.
Lodge
The beaver lodge can be large enough to house a multi-generational family.
Beavers have unique structures them to eat bark and survive cool water temperatures.
Orange Teeth
Beaver incisors contain iron which gives them an orange color and extra hardness.
Waterproof
Beavers have dense fur that they continually groom and cover with an oily substance called castoreum, secreted from scent glands.
Extra Fat
Beavers have a dense layer of fat that insulates them in cold water.
Beaver use their webbed rear feet and flat tails to push through water.
Beaver enclosure ate the Oregon Zoo, Portland.
Beavers have elaborate social behaviors.
Extended Families
A family generally starts with a monogamous pair, but grows with generations of offspring and sometimes their mates as well.
Communication
Beavers use a mix of visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile forms of communication. A tail slapping on the water warns others of a potential predator.
Territoriality
Beaver families defend a territory around their lodge and dam. Scent marking communicates borders to other beavers.
Beavers are a keystone species. Although they have a low total biomass compared to many other species, their tree removal and dam building have a substantial impact on their environment.
Nutrient Retention
Nutrients build up behind dams; the water slows and particles settle. The rich sediment supports complex food webs.
Diverse Habitats
Beaver dams can transform a uniform habitat like a forest or meadow into a patchwork of habitats with the addition of a pond and wetland.
Humans have a complex relationship with beavers.
Cultural Significance
Beavers have lasting impact on the cultures in their regions.
Habitat Alteration
Beavers can damage trees and alter the course of streams through property.
Busy as a Beaver
Beavers are an icon for continual and cooperative work.
Beavers, like other animals, have a variety of genetically-based structures and behaviors suited for survival. We’re exploring how DNA codes for traits in upcoming guides.
Check your knowledge – Beavers
Review your notes. Can you describe beavers in detail? If so, move forward to the next page.
Learning Objective:
List characteristics of beavers, including their structures, behaviors, and role as a keystone species that impacts ecosystems.
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