Quantifying the impact of the Eurasian Beaver on multiple environmental ecosystem Services (360G-Wellcome-206162_Z_17_Z)

There is limited understanding of the impact that Eurasian Beavers might have on the wide range of ecosystem services that the River Otter supports and provides. Indeed it is not understood whether any impacts might be detrimental to the river channel structure and function, or the wider landscape in the riparian zone of the river and the agro-ecosystem on the floodplain. Objectives are therefore: 1. Characterise the existing structure of the River Otter riparian zone and quantify any changes during the 2015-2019 period, relating these to Beaver activity or other processes taking place in the catchment. 2. Quantify the impact of beaver activity on water flow at a range of scales in the Otter catchment. 3. Evaluate the impact of beaver activity on water quality both in terms of water chemistry: including sediment and macronutrient (N, P, C) retention and also in terms of ecological status, as described by the macroinvertebrate assemblages in-river, at a range of scales in the Otter catchment. The PhD will deliver against all of the objectives outlined above, over a program of 3 years research.