Changes are impacting these ‘ecosystem engineers’
They cut down trees. Build dams.
Other than humans, they alter the environments more than any other animal.
That’s why the beaver has earned the nickname “ecosystem engineers.”
A new study, led by a graduate of East Tennessee State University and two ETSU professors,
is shedding light on the animals’ future distribution and their ability to respond
to a changing environment.
By studying records from about 3 million years ago all the way to the present, researchers
examined how beavers responded to changing climate conditions.
That historical record is helping determine where beavers may occur in the years ahead.
“Using data from the Pliocene, a time before the Ice Ages, allows us to examine where
beavers lived in a warmer world,” said Dr. Joshua X. Samuels, associate professor
in the Department of Geosciences, curator at the Gray Fossil Site and Museum and one of the study’s contributors. “That is key to understanding where these important
animals will live in the future.”
The researchers uncovered a common theme: the distribution of beavers is closely tied
to fluctuations in temperature and precipitation, key factors that directly impact
the water and vegetation beavers rely on for survival.
“Understanding possible changes in the distribution of beavers, often referred to
as ‘ecosystem engineers,’ can have major, cascading impacts on local environments”,
said Dr. Andrew Joyner, Tennessee’s official climatologist, an associate professor in the Department of
Geosciences and one of the study’s contributors.
Beavers may vanish from Mexico, southern Texas and northern Florida.
“It is important to identify areas where beavers may live in the future,” said Kelly
Lubbers, bonebed paleontologist and collections manager at The Mammoth Site in South
Dakota and alumnus of ETSU’s paleontology master’s program. “The loss of beavers in
certain areas may exacerbate the effects of extreme natural hazards, which may in
turn have lasting impacts on humans.”
The study’s findings can help the conservation of beavers, allowing officials to identify
at-risk areas for this species in the face of changing weather and environmental patterns.
Though humans nearly drove beavers to extinction through fur trading and habitat loss
in the early 20th century, conservation efforts have led to a remarkable recovery,
with beavers now thriving across much of North America.
The study, published in the Journal of Mammalogy, is one of many led by ETSU researchers that contributes to trailblazing scholarship.
Learn how ETSU is conducting major research at etsu.edu/trailblazers.
East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.
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