Beavers are making their presence known in a remote corner of Alaska. Historically unheard of in the Kotzebue area, beavers started appearing with more consistency during the ‘80s and ‘90s. Now, beaver dams, ponds and lodges are seen to the point that “scientists found that the number of beaver dams surged from two in 2002 to 98 in 2019, a 5,000% jump. And it’s not just Kotzebue: Beaver ponds doubled regionally since 2000, with 12,000 in northwestern Alaska now,” according to a recent High Country News article.
The population of furry “ecosystem engineers” are altering the tundra, a point that is noticeable on satellite imaging of the area. The northward migration of the beaver is indicative of climate change: opportunities abound for them as the tundra warms, and becomes greener. Shrubs become available for dams, lodges and food. The population is also rebounding as beaver trapping becomes less fashionable. Beavers’ efforts on the tundra are noticeable enough to have been ranked as a “new disturbance” in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2021 Arctic Report Card, which tracks shifts in the region. The warmer and deeper ponds created by damming rivers are paving the way for new types of aquatic habitat. Ken Tape, an ecologist studying beaver expansion at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, noted that as beavers work their way further into the Arctic, it will never be the same again. Even 80 miles to the east in the community of Selawik, beaver handiwork is blocking hunting access even when hunters attempt to use boats. Sloughs and massive dams make prove difficult to navigate. “If you tear up part of a dam or a beaver igloo, they’ll come right back and fix it up again,” Ralph Ramoth Jr. told High Country News. “They’re just busy beavers.” Pastor Lance Kramer is among those who believe that beavers aren’t creating a better or worse tundra — but rather a different one, and one that proves a boon to habitat diversity. “They’ve enhanced our land in an incredible way when they do come up,” Kramer said. “They make lakes and ponds and bigger sloughs, which makes for more moose, ducks, waterfowl and muskrat.” Environmental impacts and beaver activity will continue to be monitored by scientists. Scientists will continue to monitor beaver activity and its possible environmental impacts. Still, according to the article one pivotal question is still unanswered: Will beavers accelerate climate change in the region? “The pools of water that their dams create are warmer than the surrounding soil, and that could thaw permafrost and release carbon and methane greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,” according to the article. Christina Schädel, a professor who studies permafrost at Northern Arizona University noted that it is worth investigating since beavers could possibly be a player. |
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August 2022
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