Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot

Non-native species having high per capita impacts in invaded communities are those that modulate resource availability and alter disturbance regimes in ways that are biologically incompatible with the native biota. In areas where it has been introduced by humans, American beaver (Castor canadensis)...

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Autores principales:	Jonathan Q. Richmond, Camm C. Swift, Thomas A. Wake, Cheryl S. Brehme, Kristine L. Preston, Barbara E. Kus, Edward L. Ervin, Scott Tremor, Tritia Matsuda, Robert N. Fisher
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	invasive species hydrology ecosystem ecoregion Southern California invasional meltdown General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/0a902407be3d428db6682ba9920dcc4a
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:0a902407be3d428db6682ba9920dcc4a2021-11-18T09:54:08ZImpacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot2673-611X10.3389/fcosc.2021.752400https://doaj.org/article/0a902407be3d428db6682ba9920dcc4a2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2021.752400/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/2673-611XNon-native species having high per capita impacts in invaded communities are those that modulate resource availability and alter disturbance regimes in ways that are biologically incompatible with the native biota. In areas where it has been introduced by humans, American beaver (Castor canadensis) is an iconic example of such species due to its capacity to alter trophic dynamics of entire ecosystems and create new invasional pathways for other non-native species. The species is problematic in several watersheds within the Southern California-Northern Baja California Coast Ecoregion, a recognized hotspot of biodiversity, due to its ability to modify habitat in ways that favor invasive predators and competitors over the region's native species and habitat. Beaver was deliberately introduced across California in the mid-1900s and generally accepted as non-native to the region up to the early 2000s; however, articles promoting the idea that beaver may be a natural resident have gained traction in recent years, due in large part to the species' charismatic nature rather than by presentation of sound evidence. Here, we discuss the problems associated with beaver disturbance and its effects on conserving the region's native fauna and flora. We refute arguments underlying the claim that beaver is native to the region, and review paleontological, zooarchaeological, and historical survey data from renowned field biologists and naturalists over the past ~160 years to show that no evidence exists that beaver arrived by any means other than deliberate human introduction. Managing this ecosystem engineer has potential to reduce the richness and abundance of other non-native species because the novel, engineered habitat now supporting these species would diminish in beaver-occupied watersheds. At the same time, hydrologic functionality would shift toward more natural, ephemeral conditions that favor the regions' native species while suppressing the dominance of the most insidious invaders.Jonathan Q. RichmondCamm C. SwiftThomas A. WakeCheryl S. BrehmeKristine L. PrestonBarbara E. KusEdward L. ErvinScott TremorTritia MatsudaRobert N. FisherFrontiers Media S.A.articleinvasive specieshydrologyecosystemecoregionSouthern Californiainvasional meltdownGeneral. Including nature conservation, geographical distributionQH1-199.5ENFrontiers in Conservation Science, Vol 2 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	invasive species hydrology ecosystem ecoregion Southern California invasional meltdown General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5
spellingShingle	invasive species hydrology ecosystem ecoregion Southern California invasional meltdown General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5 Jonathan Q. Richmond Camm C. Swift Thomas A. Wake Cheryl S. Brehme Kristine L. Preston Barbara E. Kus Edward L. Ervin Scott Tremor Tritia Matsuda Robert N. Fisher Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot
description	Non-native species having high per capita impacts in invaded communities are those that modulate resource availability and alter disturbance regimes in ways that are biologically incompatible with the native biota. In areas where it has been introduced by humans, American beaver (Castor canadensis) is an iconic example of such species due to its capacity to alter trophic dynamics of entire ecosystems and create new invasional pathways for other non-native species. The species is problematic in several watersheds within the Southern California-Northern Baja California Coast Ecoregion, a recognized hotspot of biodiversity, due to its ability to modify habitat in ways that favor invasive predators and competitors over the region's native species and habitat. Beaver was deliberately introduced across California in the mid-1900s and generally accepted as non-native to the region up to the early 2000s; however, articles promoting the idea that beaver may be a natural resident have gained traction in recent years, due in large part to the species' charismatic nature rather than by presentation of sound evidence. Here, we discuss the problems associated with beaver disturbance and its effects on conserving the region's native fauna and flora. We refute arguments underlying the claim that beaver is native to the region, and review paleontological, zooarchaeological, and historical survey data from renowned field biologists and naturalists over the past ~160 years to show that no evidence exists that beaver arrived by any means other than deliberate human introduction. Managing this ecosystem engineer has potential to reduce the richness and abundance of other non-native species because the novel, engineered habitat now supporting these species would diminish in beaver-occupied watersheds. At the same time, hydrologic functionality would shift toward more natural, ephemeral conditions that favor the regions' native species while suppressing the dominance of the most insidious invaders.
format	article
author	Jonathan Q. Richmond Camm C. Swift Thomas A. Wake Cheryl S. Brehme Kristine L. Preston Barbara E. Kus Edward L. Ervin Scott Tremor Tritia Matsuda Robert N. Fisher
author_facet	Jonathan Q. Richmond Camm C. Swift Thomas A. Wake Cheryl S. Brehme Kristine L. Preston Barbara E. Kus Edward L. Ervin Scott Tremor Tritia Matsuda Robert N. Fisher
author_sort	Jonathan Q. Richmond
title	Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot
title_short	Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot
title_full	Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot
title_fullStr	Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot
title_full_unstemmed	Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot
title_sort	impacts of a non-indigenous ecosystem engineer, the american beaver (castor canadensis), in a biodiversity hotspot
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/0a902407be3d428db6682ba9920dcc4a
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Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot

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