The full paper can be found here: doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...

#Landscaperestoration needs to be approached holistically to maximise biodiversity opportunities. Beavers reintroductions have the power to do both, by physically altering the ecosystem, improving functional connectivity and increasing other species’ activity. 🦫

The authors conclude that the reintroduction of beavers to wetland habitats increases bat activity and diversity and provide benefits for aerial-hawking species in the surrounding woodland habitat. Beavers represent a multifaceted solution to restore degraded #wetlandecosystems. 🦫🦇🌲

Beavers remove trees for foraging, building and as a means to wear down their growing teeth. Selective thinning can provide space for aerial-hawking bats, including Pipistrellus spp., who avoid dense forest. This study found no negative impacts on bat activity in beaver-mediated woodlands.

The presence of beavers can alter hydrological conditions that have species-specific benefits for bats. Gomes et al., (2021) found that the transition from turbulent streams to still beaver ponds can improve the soundscape for bat species that rely on acoustics for surface-based prey detection.

A change in invertebrate communities is essential for bat species favouring certain prey species. Beaver-mediated wetlands can harbour higher moth diversity. B. barbastellus and Pleotus spp. are both moth predators and were highly active in these wetlands.

When beavers flood former terrestrial ecosystems, they can physically alter the #riparianzone and #biodiversity of the benthic habitat. This transformation increases invertebrate abundance, diversity, and supports more lentic species, including bat's main aquatic prey, Diptera and Trichoptera. 🪰🦟

The results showed that beaver-mediated wetlands experienced higher overall bat activity compared to the sites with no beaver present. Beavers indirectly impacted the foraging opportunities and habitat, resulting in species-specific responses depending on foraging strategy and preferred habitat.

The authors completed an observational study to investigate activity levels, through passive acoustic monitoring, of eight species of bats at enclosed #beaverreintroduction sites across England and Wales. Control locations included sites prior to the release of beavers.

The authors recognise that no previous study has investigated the effects of a targeted species reintroduction or the importance of beaver-mediated woodland on bat activity. Bats depend on #wetlands for drinking water and on the surrounding woodland for foraging opportunities. 🦇

Re-establishing native species, such as the European beaver, is a successful #naturebasedsolution for restoring ecologically degraded wetland ecosystems. Beavers can restore ecosystem function and provide indirect benefits for waterbirds, reptiles, invertebrates, amphibians, and fish. 🐸🐟🦟

The authors start by explaining that wetlands are threatened by anthropogenic pressures, resulting in a loss of 54-57% across the UK in the last century. Humans have intervened and helped to restore these ecosystems, but restoration projects often fall short of their objectives.