The Impact of Beaver Dams on the Dynamic of Groundwater Levels at Łąki Soleckie

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dc.contributor.authorBajkowski, Sławomir
dc.contributor.authorOleszczuk, Ryszard
dc.contributor.authorUrbański, Janusz
dc.contributor.authorJadczyszyn, Jan
dc.contributor.authorKiraga, Marta
dc.date.accessioned2024-06-11T15:07:50Z
dc.date.available2024-06-11T15:07:50Z
dc.date.issued2024-05-15
dc.description.abstractAreas excluded from agricultural production are susceptible to the presence of beaver families. The most significant changes occur during the initial period, when agricultural utilization is abandoned and beavers establish their presence on the land. During this period, some parcels remain uncultivated, while agricultural activities persist in neighboring areas. This situation is accompanied by the destruction of beaver dams, especially during periods of abundant water resources, and notably during intensive fieldwork. The article presents field studies aimed at determining the extent to which constructed and operational beaver dams contribute to changes in groundwater levels in drained peatland areas. In order to protect and sustainably use peat soils, it is necessary to maintain their high moisture content by ensuring a high groundwater level elevation. This can be achieved through the use of existing damming structures in the area (levees, weirs). Beaver dams can also serve a similar function, blocking the outflow of water from peat lands by raising the water level and consequently retaining it naturally. The specific objective was to develop principles for verifying factors influencing the effects of beaver dam construction on groundwater levels in fields within their range of influence. The water table levels within the study area during rainless periods were influenced by water levels in ditches, dependent on beaver activity in the nearby river. Beaver activities, manifested through dam construction, were influenced by periodic water resources in the river, defined by the cumulative monthly precipitation. Factors affecting groundwater levels in rainless periods on the plots also included the distance from the river cross-section and the permeability of soils expressed by the filtration coefficient of the active layer. Beaver dams had the greatest impact on stabilizing the water table in the soil profile closest to the river.
dc.identifier.citationSustainability 2024, 16, 4135
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/su16104135
dc.identifier.issn2071-1050
dc.identifier.urihttps://bc.iung.pl/handle/123456789/1260
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.subjectgroundwater
dc.subjectorganic soils
dc.subjectbeaver
dc.subjectriparian zones
dc.subjectwildlife habitat
dc.titleThe Impact of Beaver Dams on the Dynamic of Groundwater Levels at Łąki Soleckie
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