Beavers can convert stream corridors to persistent carbon sinks

Beavers can convert stream corridors to persistent carbon sinks | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Beavers can convert stream corridors to persistent carbon sinks Lukas Hallberg, Annegret Larsen, Natalie Ceperley, Raphael d'Epagnier, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6965730/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Communications Earth & Environment → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Stream corridors are widely recognised as hotspots for carbon (C) cycling, where terrestrial and aquatic processes interact to transform, store and transport C. The recent reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver ( Castor fiber ) across Europe represents a significant ecological shift with potential implications for C dynamics in headwater systems. However, the capacity of beaver-modified stream corridors to influence short- and long-term C turnover, and the mechanisms that govern these changes, remains poorly understood. Here, we present the first annual C budget of a beaver-influenced stream corridor that through coupling with the water balance covers all major aqueous and atmospheric exchanges, as well as biomass and sedimentary storages of C, from a lowland beaver wetland in Switzerland. By integrating C flux measurements with hydrology and bathymetry, we identify dominant transport pathways and quantify how intermittent inundation mediates gaseous C emissions. Additional estimates of sediment deposition and pyrolysis/oxidation analysis allowed us to quantify sediment C fractions and their long­term fate. Annually, the beaver wetland functioned as a net C sink (77.7 ± 33.4 t yr -1 ), primarily driven by subsurface removal of dissolved inorganic C. Carbon dioxide emissions were the dominant source of C loss and seasonally shifted the system to a net C source during the summer water recession. Projecting the long-term evolution of sediment and deadwood storage following complete wetland infilling, we estimate a net sequestered C of 1194 t (10.1 t ha -1 yr -1 ), nearly an order of magnitude greater than the same stream corridor without beaver modification. Our findings demonstrate that temperate beaver wetlands can act as persistent C sinks, driven annually through hydrologically controlled reductions in dissolved inorganic C export, and over the longer-term via burial of predominantly organic, but also inorganic, C. This highlights the transformative role of beaver-induced hydrological change in reshaping C cycling dynamics at terrestrial-aquatic interfaces, and reinforces the relevance of headwater catchments in climate-mitigation strategies. Earth and environmental sciences/Biogeochemistry/Carbon cycle Earth and environmental sciences/Hydrology Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Riparian ecology Ecosystem engineering beaver stream corridor carbon climate change Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files Supplementaryinformation.pdf Supplemenary information Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Communications Earth & Environment → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6965730","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":478579511,"identity":"150b3583-02db-4329-a92e-4ab45c5ffe4e","order_by":0,"name":"Lukas Hallberg","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA7klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACPgYeBoYHBQeATOZjzDBRxgY8WthAWhIMQFrY0kjWwmNGrBbegx8SDO7Imfev+fa4oGYbA3/7ATbJGXi18CVLJBg8M5a58Xa78YxjtxkkziSwSW7A7zADoJbDiTMkzm6T5mG7zcBwg4FN8gF+LcY/gFrqZ0iceSbN8+82gzwRWsxAtiRI8PewSfO23WYwAGnB6zBmHjMLoF8MZ0iwmRvz9t3mMTyT2GyJz/v87D3GNz5U3JGX4D/87DHPt9tycscPH7zZg0cLAzwuJBLAFA+BWEGx7wCRCkfBKBgFo2DEAQB/60gddmiKkwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0404-4145","institution":"University of Birmingham","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lukas","middleName":"","lastName":"Hallberg","suffix":""},{"id":478579512,"identity":"4a28fa74-e3d3-4810-88b9-07f89777afc0","order_by":1,"name":"Annegret Larsen","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2241-0313","institution":"Wageningen University \u0026 Research","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Annegret","middleName":"","lastName":"Larsen","suffix":""},{"id":478579513,"identity":"61890823-522d-4e83-bed8-beb78a2f1af1","order_by":2,"name":"Natalie Ceperley","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2260-8426","institution":"University of Bern","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Natalie","middleName":"","lastName":"Ceperley","suffix":""},{"id":478579514,"identity":"68f26c91-61f1-4102-ad37-4b390f1040e3","order_by":3,"name":"Raphael d'Epagnier","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Bern","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Raphael","middleName":"","lastName":"d'Epagnier","suffix":""},{"id":478579515,"identity":"5b8d5c66-3a22-444b-8f58-bbde78472274","order_by":4,"name":"Tom Brouwers","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wageningen University \u0026 Research","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tom","middleName":"","lastName":"Brouwers","suffix":""},{"id":478579516,"identity":"add4c64d-d120-403a-bd89-a1a6e4e88090","order_by":5,"name":"Bettina Schaefli","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Bern","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bettina","middleName":"","lastName":"Schaefli","suffix":""},{"id":478579517,"identity":"53211de9-210c-492c-b9ce-b004cd48fa31","order_by":6,"name":"Josep Barba","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Centro de Investigación Ecológica y Aplicaciones Forestales","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Josep","middleName":"","lastName":"Barba","suffix":""},{"id":478579518,"identity":"a83f71aa-e5d5-4b93-b41a-b2f6bec9bb72","order_by":7,"name":"Christof Angst","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Info fauna","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Christof","middleName":"","lastName":"Angst","suffix":""},{"id":478579519,"identity":"4c14b727-97e7-400d-afb6-75dc9b162689","order_by":8,"name":"Matthew Dennis","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Manchester","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Matthew","middleName":"","lastName":"Dennis","suffix":""},{"id":478579520,"identity":"9b20e774-dca2-40cb-aba5-8d47a2a45a5c","order_by":9,"name":"Joshua Larsen","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0650-7369","institution":"University of Birmingham","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joshua","middleName":"","lastName":"Larsen","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-06-24 12:25:47","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6965730/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6965730/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03283-8","type":"published","date":"2026-03-18T04:00:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104952459,"identity":"ef1be1b4-8fae-41c8-963d-73e9de0e3dc5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-19 07:12:25","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":939399,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Article File","description":"","filename":"Manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6965730/v1_covered_3df89cd1-e9d0-4141-8cbe-86982d6afeb8.pdf"},{"id":86997590,"identity":"e40fff84-f385-4e84-8c56-b479d7408723","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-18 06:14:06","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":1220867,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Supplemenary information","description":"","filename":"Supplementaryinformation.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6965730/v1/73bf920d94150eafae743008.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Beavers can convert stream corridors to persistent carbon sinks","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":true,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Ecosystem engineering, beaver, stream corridor, carbon, climate change","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6965730/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6965730/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eStream corridors are widely recognised as hotspots for carbon (C) cycling, where terrestrial and aquatic processes interact to transform, store and transport C. The recent reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver (\u003cem\u003eCastor fiber\u003c/em\u003e) across Europe represents a significant ecological shift with potential implications for C dynamics in headwater systems. However, the capacity of beaver-modified stream corridors to influence short- and long-term C turnover, and the mechanisms that govern these changes, remains poorly understood. Here, we present the first annual C budget of a beaver-influenced stream corridor that through coupling with the water balance covers all major aqueous and atmospheric exchanges, as well as biomass and sedimentary storages of C, from a lowland beaver wetland in Switzerland. By integrating C flux measurements with hydrology and bathymetry, we identify dominant transport pathways and quantify how intermittent inundation mediates gaseous C emissions. Additional estimates of sediment deposition and pyrolysis/oxidation analysis allowed us to quantify sediment C fractions and their long­term fate. Annually, the beaver wetland functioned as a net C sink (77.7 ± 33.4 t yr\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e), primarily driven by subsurface removal of dissolved inorganic C. Carbon dioxide emissions were the dominant source of C loss and seasonally shifted the system to a net C source during the summer water recession. Projecting the long-term evolution of sediment and deadwood storage following complete wetland infilling, we estimate a net sequestered C of 1194 t (10.1 t ha\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e yr\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e), nearly an order of magnitude greater than the same stream corridor without beaver modification. Our findings demonstrate that temperate beaver wetlands can act as persistent C sinks, driven annually through hydrologically controlled reductions in dissolved inorganic C export, and over the longer-term via burial of predominantly organic, but also inorganic, C. This highlights the transformative role of beaver-induced hydrological change in reshaping C cycling dynamics at terrestrial-aquatic interfaces, and reinforces the relevance of headwater catchments in climate-mitigation strategies.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Beavers can convert stream corridors to persistent carbon sinks","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-18 06:14:01","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6965730/v1","editorialEvents":[],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"communications-earth-and-environment","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"commsenv","sideBox":"Learn more about [Communications Earth and Environment](https://www.nature.com/commsenv/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Communications Earth \u0026 Environment","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Communications Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f7f8933a-b98a-46f2-86d0-1e6354ada48f","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 18th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":50813367,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Biogeochemistry/Carbon cycle"},{"id":50813368,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Hydrology"},{"id":50813369,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Riparian ecology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-19T07:11:11+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6965730","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03283-8","journal":{"identity":"communications-earth-and-environment","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Communications Earth \u0026 Environment"},"publishedOn":"2026-03-18 04:00:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 18th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-18 06:14:01","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s43247-026-03283-8","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03283-8","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6965730","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6965730","identity":"rs-6965730","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}