European beaver impact on small rivers valley and channel relief in the Vetluga-Unzha woodlands

Abstract

130 km of small river banks within the Vetluga-Unzha watershed have been surveyed and 206 descriptions of ecosystems prepared in the course of studies of the European beaver settlements as a relief-forming factor. The data obtained indicate that the beavers' activity leads to formation of specific zoogenous and postzoogenous landforms, dammed water reservoirs and oxbow lakes, braided channels and as a whole encourages the valleys widening.