Beavers are turning rivers into powerful carbon sinks Beavers may be one of nature’s most unexpected allies in locking away carbon and fighting climate change. A new international study led by researchers at the University of Birmingham reveals that these animals can transform rivers into effective carbon dioxide sinks by building dams and creating wetlands. The research, published in Communications Earth & Environment, is the first to measure both the carbon dioxide released and captured in beaver-influenced wetlands. The study focused on a stream corridor in northern Switzerland, where beavers have been active for over a decade. Over 13 years, the beaver-engineered wetland stored more than 1,194 tonnes of carbon—up to ten times more than similar areas without beavers. This equates to 10.1 tonnes of CO2 stored per hectare annually. Dr. Joshua Larsen, lead senior author of the study, explained that beavers fundamentally alter how CO2 moves through landscapes. By slowing water, trapping sediments, and expanding wetlands, they convert streams into carbon sinks. The findings highlight the potential of beaver-led restorations as a nature-based solution to climate change. Researchers combined hydrological measurements, chemical testing, sediment analysis, greenhouse gas monitoring, and long-term modeling to create the most comprehensive carbon budget for a beaver-influenced landscape in Europe. The wetland functioned as a net carbon sink, storing an average of 98.3 ± 33.4 tonnes of carbon annually. This was driven by the removal and retention of dissolved inorganic carbon below the surface. Seasonal variations were also observed.#beavers #university_of_birmingham #wageningen_university #communications_earth_environment #university_of_bern
