KeyStone Species :The Beaver
The ponds that are created by beavers, or simple "beaver ponds", have direct and indirect benefits to every species in the food web including humans. The beaver dam has in numeral benefits including: decrease of flooding, remove pollutants from the surface water, protect against, droughts, and decrease the rate of erosion, produce food for fish and other animals which feed on fish, and maintain the river flow. Not only do beaver dams benefit the ecosystem in the previously mentioned ways they are also maintaining the biodiversity of Acadia National park by supporting 43% of the endangered species population. The beaver affects the ecosystem and deletion of the creature would have direct dramatic effects on the ecosystem. (5)
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In any given environment there is one specific species that has the largest impact on the maintenance of the "ecological community". The importance of this species is not necessarily tied to the abundance of the organism, or position on the food chain nevertheless this species presence has a significant impact on the environment; this species is called the keystone species. The American beaver is the keystone species in Acadia National Park. Beavers have a significant impact on their environment by creating dams that are beneficial to both marine life and the terrestrial life. The beaver is an amphibious rodent with large front teeth and a powerful jaw and creates a dam for its habitat out of mud and logs previously cut down using its powerful jaw and sharpened teeth. The beaver does not hibernate but rather stores food in its dam for the winter months. Beavers build these dams downstream in ponds usually with a low water levels. This creation of the dam allows for the water to build up and create deep ponds teeming with aquatic life. Beavers are primary consumers and are preyed on by a majority of the secondary and a few of the tertiary consumers.
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