One potential benefit that beavers contribute to the ecosystem as keystone engineers is the creation of wetlands through their dam-building activities. These wetlands provide habitat for a variety of plant and animal species, including fish, amphibians, and waterfowl. The wetlands also help to improve water quality by filtering pollutants and sediment.
If beavers were to be removed from the ecosystem, there could be several negative impacts on the surrounding environment. Without beavers to create dams and wetlands, the natural flow of rivers could be disrupted, leading to increased erosion and flooding. Additionally, the loss of beavers as ecosystem engineers could result in a decline in biodiversity, as many species rely on the habitats created by beavers for food and shelter. Overall, the removal of beavers could have far-reaching effects on the health and stability of river ecosystems.