Beavers (Castor canadensis) are widely recognized as ecosystem engineers, building dams that reshape water flow and alter the physical structure of rivers and streams.
There is a scientific consensus on the positive impact of beaver dams, for example, in creating landscape-scale wetlands, increasing biodiversity and generating heterogeneity that benefits many species. However, during extreme rainfall, beaver dams are quickly blamed for exacerbating downstream flooding whenever they break.
Together with my colleagues, I explored the topic of beavers at the international Wood in World Rivers 5 Gaspé Conference held in June 2024. That led to the publication of an article in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
