Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation of the Eurasian Beaver in a Changing World
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2026 | Viewed by 208
Editors
Interests: small mammals; behavioural ecology; conservation biology; invasive alien mammals
Interests: conservation biology; ecology; species conservation and management; evolutionary biology
Interests: quantitative ecology; biogeography; problem solving in wildlife management; wetland ecology and management; habitat fragmentation and ecological network planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Beavers are the second largest rodents globally and are widely recognised as ecosystem engineers due to their profound capacity to modify the habitats they occupy. By building dams and lodges, excavating canals, and managing vegetation, they create new microhabitats that support diverse communities of invertebrates, fish, amphibians, mammals, and birds.
During the past three decades, the Eurasian beaver has recolonised an increasing number of countries, including Croatia, Romania, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Kingdom, Mongolia, Italy, and Bulgaria. In some regions, the species has been actively reintroduced, whereas it has spread naturally in others. This rapid expansion presents a range of emerging challenges for the countries in which the species is now present.
Many contemporary landscapes have undergone substantial anthropogenic alteration. Riverbeds have been regulated, dykes and dams have been constructed, and extensive wetland areas have been drained. Gravel extraction sites have been established, and riverbanks have been frequently cleared of riparian vegetation. Artificial plantations have replaced original riparian forests, providing abundant forage for beavers, but also creating conflicts. Furthermore, climate change and human activities have contributed to increasingly unpredictable hydrological regimes.
These factors underscore the need for comprehensive research into the adaptive responses of beavers to altered environments, as well as the ways in which human societies can coexist with beavers.
We welcome original research articles and reviews addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Beaver ecology and conservation;
- Beaver behaviour in novel or human-modified habitats;
- Reintroduction and management of dynamic and changing ecosystems;
- Innovative and emerging methodologies for monitoring, research, and management.
Dr. Yordan Koshev
Dr. Maria Kachamakova
Dr. Corrado Battisti
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- castor fiber
- recolonisation
- adaptation
- conservation
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