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Review article2011Peer reviewed

Toward a Research Agenda for Water Policy Implementation: Knowledge about Beaver (Castor fiber) as a Tool for Water Management with a Catchment Perspective

Törnblom, Johan; Angelstam, Per; Hartman, Göran; Henrikson, Lennart; Sjöberg, Göran

Abstract

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) was adopted in 2000 and is now being implemented in national legislations in the Member States. According to this directive, all waters should have good ecological and chemical status. Good ecological status signifies only a slight departure from the biological community which would be expected in conditions of minimal anthropogenic impact. To achieve this goal, knowledge about historical reference conditions for different ecoregions is urgently needed. The aim of this paper is to present a research agenda for acquiring knowledge about the beaver's role in natural ecosystems as a tool for WFD implementation. The beaver is an ecological engineer for both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. As the species was once common in large parts of Europe, reference conditions in terms of the historic natural range of variability in riverine landscapes were to a great extent created by its activities. Thus, "good ecological status" of small to medium sized streams should include compositional, structural and functional characteristics created by beavers. First we define these characteristics and how they relate to the concept of ecological status. Second we describe how viable beaver populations may contribute to the ecological status in different parts of the continent, and conclude that the re-establishment of the beaver on the European continent is a way to approach good ecological status. However, increased knowledge is needed in terms of studies of (1) the historical beaver distribution in different types of catchments using both modelling, and studies in reference landscapes where beavers are still present; (2) the present density and ecosystem effects of beaver in the landscape; (3) interactions between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems; (4) analysis of economic and ecological trade-offs, especially in areas with high beaver or human population densities. Finally, (5) stakeholders' attitudes and understanding related to the WFD and beavers in areas with differing history and density of beavers will need to be studied as a base for governance and management of catchments.

Keywords

Beaver; landscape planning; catchment perspective; sustainable landscapes; biodiversity; water management; governance

Published in

Baltic Forestry
2011, Volume: 17, number: 1, pages: 154-161
Publisher: LITHUANIAN FOREST RESEARCH INST