Why are beavers obsessed with dams? - Glynnis Hood
422,416 Views
2,041 Questions Answered
TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
Nestled in the forests of Canada sits the world’s longest beaver dam. This 850-meter-long structure is large enough to be seen in satellite imagery and has dramatically transformed the region, creating a pond containing 70 million liters of water. But dams of any size can have huge impacts on their environment. So how exactly do beavers build these impressive structures? Glynnis Hood investigates.
The term “ecosystem engineer” refers to a species that alters the physical aspects/structure of its environment. Many scientists also consider beavers to be a “keystone species”, which is a species that has a disproportionate effect on the entire ecosystem, particularly through food webs. If a keystone species is removed from a system, the whole system would likely collapse. How would the reintroduction of beavers into their previously occupied habitats influence other organisms in the food web? Which type of species might benefit the most?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Educator Glynnis Hood
- Director Keegan Thornhill
- Narrator Alexandra Panzer
- Storyboard Artist Keegan Thornhill
- Animator Keegan Thornhill
- Background Artist Jonathan Martin Allan
- Composer Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio
- Sound Designer Amanda P.H. Bennett, Chengqing Zhu, cAMP Studio
- Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
- Producer Anna Bechtol
- Associate Producer Abdallah Ewis
- Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
- Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
- Script Editor Renae Reints
