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complete genome sequence of francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica strain a271_1 (fdc408), isolated from a eurasian beaver (castor fiber).here, we report the complete genome sequence of francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica strain a271_1, isolated from a eurasian beaver (castor fiber) in 2012 in the berlin/brandenburg region, germany.202033153998
first report on parasites of european beavers in the slovak republic.european beaver (castor fiber l. 1758) is the biggest rodent living in europe. it is a semi-aquatic animal known for building dams and burrows. european beaver is a potential host for a wide range of parasites and other infectious diseases. in slovakia, there is an increasing number of beavers but the data about their parasitic fauna are missing. our work is the first documentation about the beaver's parasitofauna in slovakia. in a 1-year study, we collected and examined 19 beaver fecal samples ...202033128643
eurasian beaver (castor fiber) winter foraging preferences in northern poland-the role of woody vegetation composition and anthropopression level.we studied beavers' dietary preferences and the role of several factors (such as plant species, size and anthropopression level) that affect the beavers' foraging in northern poland. woody plants along the river were measured and classified according to species in six 100 m-long transects that were characterized by a diversified human disturbance level. ivlev's electivity index was used to present the beavers' preferences for various plant species and sizes, and the generalized linear model was ...202032784368
sex- and season-dependent differences in the expression of adiponectin and adiponectin receptors (adipor1 and adipor2) in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of the eurasian beaver (castor fiber l.).adiponectin, a product of the adipoq gene, is an adipocyte-derived protein hormone of the cytokine family and the most abundantly expressed adipokine. adiponectin and its receptors adipor1 and adipor2 (collectively referred to as the adiponectin system) are widely expressed in the central nervous system and other tissues, which suggests that this hormone has pleiotropic effects. adiponectin could also play a role in the modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (hpa) hormonal regulatory ax ...202032739435
modelling eurasian beaver foraging habitat and dam suitability, for predicting the location and number of dams throughout catchments in great britain.eurasian beaver (castor fiber) populations are expanding across europe. depending on location, beaver dams bring multiple benefits and/or require management. using nationally available data, we developed: a beaver forage index (bfi), identifying beaver foraging habitat, and a beaver dam capacity (bdc) model, classifying suitability of river reaches for dam construction, to estimate location and number of dams at catchment scales. models were executed across three catchments, in great britain (gb ...202032647501
local knowledge about a newly reintroduced, rapidly spreading species (eurasian beaver) and perception of its impact on ecosystem services.conflicts caused by reintroduced native species are increasing; however, there is a knowledge gap concerning ecological knowledge and perception of local community members regarding the impact of these species on local ecosystem services and livelihoods. we studied local knowledge about beavers and the perception of their impact on ecosystem services and local livelihoods, and the perception of their general harmfulness and usefulness in hungary and romania in three ecologically distinct, divers ...202032437396
fears from the past? the innate ability of dogs to detect predator scents.throughout the animal kingdom, antipredator mechanisms are an evolutionary driving force to enable the survival of species classified as prey. information regarding a predator's location can be determined through chemosensory cues from urine, faeces, visual and/or acoustic signals and anal gland secretions; and in several lab and field-based studies it has been seen that these cues mediate behavioural changes within prey species. these behaviours are often linked to fear and avoidance, which wil ...202032270350
beaver effects on macroinvertebrate assemblages in two streams with contrasting morphology.beaver populations are increasing throughout europe and especially in switzerland. beaver are major ecological engineers of fluvial systems, dramatically influencing river morphology, ecohydrology and, consequently, aquatic and terrestrial biota. this study compared macroinvertebrate assemblages and trophic structure at two beaver complexes with contrasting topography in switzerland over an annual cycle. one complex (marthalen) was in a low gradient open basin, whereas the other complex (flaach) ...202032197166
first case of trichinella spiralis infection in beavers (castor fiber) in poland and europe.this is the first report of the finding of trichinella spiralis in beaver meat (castor fiber) in poland and europe. in poland, the beaver is a strictly protected animal species, except the few regions where high population density leads to economic losses. in these areas, the reduction culling of the animals was introduced. this uncommon hunting game animal is consumed and treated as a delicacy by hunters. however, currently, there is a lack of knowledge on possible risk factors for humans assoc ...202031890563
scent-sniffing dogs can discriminate between native eurasian and invasive north american beavers.the invasion of a species can cause population reduction or extinction of a similar native species due to replacement competition. there is a potential risk that the native eurasian beaver (castor fiber) may eventually be competitively excluded by the invasive north american beaver (c. canadensis) from areas where they overlap in eurasia. yet currently available methods of census and population estimates are costly and time-consuming. in a laboratory environment, we investigated the potential of ...201931685895
riparian wetland rehabilitation and beaver re-colonization impacts on hydrological processes and water quality in a lowland agricultural catchment.quantifying the catchment water balance and the characterization of its water quality changes are effective tools for establishing the response of catchments to shifting land management practices. here we assess long-term hydrological partitioning and stream water chemistry over a 30-year period in a rural mixed land use catchment in northern germany undergoing riparian wetlands and widespread re-colonization by beavers (castor fiber) along the river network. we used long-term spatially distribu ...202031522046
causes and consequences of inverse density-dependent territorial behaviour and aggression in a monogamous mammal.territoriality is an important process shaping population dynamics, and the defence of a territory is crucial for individuals to increase the duration of territory occupancy and, consequently, reproductive success. however, little is known about how the frequency of territory intrusions and subsequent territorial behaviours and aggression by territory owners are affected by external factors, such as population density. this is important because it can affect mate change (the replacement of one p ...202031469174
evidence of leptospira species and their significance during reintroduction of eurasian beavers (castorfiber) to great britain.the scottish beaver trial (sbt) reintroduced the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) in 2009 using wild-caught norwegian beavers. this included a six-month prerelease quarantine in devon, england. the international union for conservation of nature (iucn) and government guidelines for health screening were followed, including testing for leptospira species. unlicensed beavers, from germany, were also identified in scotland (tayside) and devon (later forming the river otter beaver trial (robt)) and wer ...201931467063
first insights into bacterial gastrointestinal tract communities of the eurasian beaver (castor fiber).the eurasian or european beaver (castor fiber) is the second-largest living rodent after the capybara. it is a semi-aquatic animal known for building dams and lodges. they strictly feed on lignocellulose-rich plants and correspondingly harbor cellulolytic microbial communities in their digestive tract. in this study, the bacterial community composition, diversity, and functional profile of different gut compartments ranging from stomach to colon have been explored. a total of 277 bacterial opera ...201931428060
streptococcus castoreus, an uncommon group a streptococcus in beavers.streptococcus castoreus is a rarely encountered beta-haemolytic group a streptococcus with high tropism for the beaver as host. based on 27 field isolates under study, evidence strongly suggests that s. castoreus behaves as an opportunistic pathogen in beavers. although it belongs to the resident mucosal microbiota, this streptococcus species is associated with purulent lesions in diseased animals. with few exceptions, isolates proved to be highly similar in a panel of phenotypic (including bioc ...201931250158
enteric nervous system in the european beaver (castor fiber) pylorus - an immunohistochemical study.european beaver (castor fiber), the largest rodent species inhabiting a wide area of eurasia, feeds mainly on dry parts of plants, bark or wood. such kind of nourishment needs to be properly digested in each part of the gastrointestinal tract. the time of stomach digestion, which directly influences all the following steps of the digestion process, is precisely controlled by the pylorus and its innervation. however, virtually no data is available on the organization of the enteric nervous system ...201930997779
leptin/leptin receptor system in the regulation of reproductive functions and stress response in the european beaver.the european beaver (castor fiber l.) is the largest free-living rodent in eurasia. the present work aimed to determine sex- and season-related changes in leptin receptor (ob-r) expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal/adrenal axes and uterus of beavers during breeding- (april), post-breeding- (july), and pre-breeding- (november) periods. the expression of ob-r gene and protein was found in all analyzed tissues. the expression of ob-r mrna remained constant in the hypothalamus of both se ...201930936909
scottish beavers to be protected.georgina mills discusses a new scottish law that will protect the country's population of eurasian beavers.201930846631
absence of hantavirus in water voles and eurasian beavers in britain.hantaviruses are rna viruses (order bunyavirales, family hantaviridae) found in rodent, bat and insectivore reservoir-hosts and have been reported as an emerging significant zoonotic risk in europe. as part of two native semiaquatic rodent restoration projects, tissue and urine samples were tested for hantavirus from water voles (arvicola amphibius) (n=26, in 2015) and eurasian beavers (castor fiber) (n=20, covering 2010-2015) using a pan-hantavirus nested real-time pcr test. kidney and lung sam ...201930792326
characterization of the phylogenetic diversity of five novel species belonging to the genus bifidobacterium: bifidobacterium castoris sp. nov., bifidobacterium callimiconis sp. nov., bifidobacterium goeldii sp. nov., bifidobacterium samirii sp. nov. and bifidobacterium dolichotidis sp. nov.five bifidobacterium strains, i.e. 2020bt, 2028bt, 2033bt, 2034bt and 2036bt, were isolated from european beaver (castor fiber), goeldi's marmoset (callimicogoeldii), black-capped squirrel monkey (saimiriboliviensissubsp. peruviensis) and patagonian mara (dolichotispatagonum). all of these isolates were shown to be gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, d-fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase-positive, non-motile and non-sporulating. phylogenetic analyses based on 16s rrna gene sequences, multiloc ...201930789326
de novo characterization of placental transcriptome in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber l.).our pioneering data provide the first comprehensive view of placental transcriptome of the beaver during single and multiple gestation. rna-seq and a de novo approach allowed global pattern identification of c. fiber placental transcriptome. non-redundant beaver transcriptome comprised 211,802,336 nt of placental transcripts, grouped into 128,459 contigs and clustered into 83,951 unigenes. an ensembl database search revealed 14,487, 14,994, 15,004, 15,267 and 15,892 non-redundant homologs for ic ...201930778795
the role of eurasian beaver (castor fiber) in the storage, emission and deposition of carbon in lakes and rivers of the river ob flood plain, western siberia.several studies have reported significant emission of greenhouse gasses (ghg) from beaver dams, suggesting that ponds created by beavers are a net source of co2 and ch4. however, most evidence come from studies conducted in north america (on castor canadensis) without a parallel comparison with the eurasian beaver's (castor fiber) impacts and a critical consideration of the importance of the carbon deposition in dam sediments. the most abundant population of the eurasian beaver lives in russia, ...201830743849
fatty acid composition, cholesterol content and lipid oxidation indices of intramuscular fat from skeletal muscles of beaver (castor fiber l.).the lipid characteristics of the intramuscular fat (imf) from skeletal muscles of different beaver carcass parts (the loin, hind leg and shoulder) were characterised in detail for the first time. the shoulder muscles had higher (p < 0.05) proportion of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (pufa) than the loin muscles, which had higher percentages of saturated fatty acids (sfa), odd-chain fatty acids (ocfa) and sum of conjugated linoleic acids (σcla). moreover, the shoulder muscles were found to conta ...201930594329
performance of gps units for deployment on semiaquatic animals.global positioning system (gps) technology is widely used in wildlife research to study animal movement and habitat use. in order to evaluate the quality and reliability of gps data, the factors influencing the performance of these devices must be known, especially for semiaquatic species, because terrestrial and aquatic habitat might affect gps performance differently. we evaluated the location error and fix success rate of three gps receiver models in stationary tests and on a semi-aquatic mam ...201830521569
sediment and nutrient storage in a beaver engineered wetland.beavers, primarily through the building of dams, can deliver significant geomorphic modifications and result in changes to nutrient and sediment fluxes. research is required to understand the implications and possible benefits of widespread beaver reintroduction across europe. this study surveyed sediment depth, extent and carbon/nitrogen content in a sequence of beaver pond and dam structures in south west england, where a pair of eurasian beavers (castor fiber) were introduced to a controlled ...201830333676
ontogenetic intraspecific allometry of autochthonous and reintroduced eurasian beaver castor fiber populations.ontogenetic allometry.of the cranium was studied in 580 individuals of the eurasian beavers castorfiber in two subspecies out of six autochthonous and reintroduced populations using the methods of multivariate nonparametric statistics. it was noted that the growth dynamics demonstrates a correspondence to trajectories of ontogenetic rodent models with the difference that intensive beaver growth finishes by the age of four years. significant differences in the dynamics ofage variability were dete ...201630226937
activity of beavers as an ecological factor that affects the benthos of small rivers - a case study in the żylica river (poland).the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) has a greater impact on local ecosystems than other herbivores, and the affected area exceeds the range of its presence. its activity may change or create new habitats by modifying the availability of the biotic and abiotic resources available not only to beavers, but also to other groups of animals. our aim was to study how beaver activity affects the benthos composition in a small river and in a beaver pond. the way in which beavers function in the case of sm ...201830147113
beavers are back in the forest of dean.eurasian beavers have not been seen in the forest of dean for around 400 years, but last week a pair were reintroduced to the area. georgina mills explains.201830072457
can beaver impact promote river renaturalization? the example of the raba river, southern poland.the european beaver (castor fiber) was reintroduced in the polish carpathians in the 1980s after a few centuries of absence. it gradually colonized suitable habitats in the raba river valley and elsewhere. the question arises as to whether beaver activity can play a role in the local improvement of hydromorphological conditions and spontaneous renaturalization of the raba river channel. field surveys were performed in morphodynamically and structurally homogeneous reaches of the river. traces of ...201829751408
possible case of trichinellosis associated with beaver (castor fiber) meat.although there have been occasional reports of rare and low-level trichinellae infestation in beavers, no human cases of beaver-associated trichinellosis have been described. this report presents a possible case of human trichinellosis linked to beaver meat. increasing consumption of beaver meat necessitates raising awareness of this potential source of trichinellosis.201929720291
fatal leptospirosis in free-ranging eurasian beavers (castor fiber l.), switzerland.leptospirosis was first diagnosed in free-ranging eurasian beavers (castor fiber l.) in switzerland in 2010. pathologic, serologic, molecular and epidemiologic analyses were carried out on 13 animals submitted for necropsy from 2010 through 2014. typical lesions included alveolar haemorrhages in the lungs, tubular degeneration and interstitial nephritis in the kidneys. microscopic agglutination test results were positive for serogroups icterohaemorrhagiae, australis, autumnalis and sejroe. molec ...201829673086
identification of placental aspartic proteinase in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber l.).aspartic proteinases (ap) form a multigenic group widely distributed in various organisms and includes pepsins (pep), cathepsins d and e, pregnancy associated glycoproteins (pags) as well as plant, fungal, and retroviral proteinases. this study describes the transcript identification and expression localization of the ap within the discoid placenta of the castor fiber. we identified 1257 bp of the ap cdna sequence, encoding 391 amino acids (aa) of the polypeptide precursor composed of 16 aa sign ...201829670018
identifying source populations for the reintroduction of the eurasian beaver, castor fiber l. 1758, into britain: evidence from ancient dna.establishing true phylogenetic relationships between populations is a critical consideration when sourcing individuals for translocation. this presents huge difficulties with threatened and endangered species that have become extirpated from large areas of their former range. we utilise ancient dna (adna) to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of a keystone species which has become extinct in britain, the eurasian beaver castor fiber. we sequenced seventeen 492 bp partial trnapro and cont ...201829426903
diving behavior in a free-living, semi-aquatic herbivore, the eurasian beaver castor fiber.semi-aquatic mammals have secondarily returned to the aquatic environment, although they spend a major part of their life operating in air. moving both on land, as well as in, and under water is challenging because such species are considered to be imperfectly adapted to both environments. we deployed accelerometers combined with a depth sensor to study the diving behavior of 12 free-living eurasian beavers castor fiber in southeast norway between 2009 and 2011 to examine the extent to which bea ...201829375773
age-related changes in somatic condition and reproduction in the eurasian beaver: resource history influences onset of reproductive senescence.using 15 years of data from a stable population of wild eurasian beavers (castor fiber), we examine how annual and lifetime access to food resources affect individual age-related changes in reproduction and somatic condition. we found an age-related decline in annual maternal reproductive output, after a peak at age 5-6. rainfall, an established negative proxy of annual resource availability for beavers, was consistently associated with lower reproductive output for females of all ages. in contr ...201729206840
pulmonary adiaspiromycosis in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) inhabiting poland.adiaspiromycosis is a rare fungal infection caused by saprophytic fungi emmonsia spp. (type ascomycota) occurring especially in small free-living mammals. the aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of histopathological lesions asscociated with adiaspiromycosis in the eurasian beaver inhabiting poland. in order to evaluate the presence of natural adiaspiromycosis we systematically investigated beaver populations from north-eastern poland for adiaspores in the lungs. this study reveals f ...201729166284
extra-territorial movements differ between territory holders and subordinates in a large, monogamous rodent.territorial animals carry out extra-territorial movements (forays) to obtain pre-dispersal information or to increase reproductive success via extra-pair copulation. however, little is known about other purposes and spatial movement patterns of forays. in this study, we gps-tagged 54 eurasian beavers (castor fiber), a year-round territorial, monogamous mammal, during the non-mating season. we investigated forays in territory-holding breeders (dominants) and non-breeding (subordinate) family memb ...201729127395
using ecosystem engineers as tools in habitat restoration and rewilding: beaver and wetlands.potential for habitat restoration is increasingly used as an argument for reintroducing ecosystem engineers. beaver have well known effects on hydromorphology through dam construction, but their scope to restore wetland biodiversity in areas degraded by agriculture is largely inferred. our study presents the first formal monitoring of a planned beaver-assisted restoration, focussing on changes in vegetation over 12years within an agriculturally-degraded fen following beaver release, based on rep ...201728693107
seasonal differences in the testicular transcriptome profile of free-living european beavers (castor fiber l.) determined by the rna-seq method.the european beaver (castor fiber l.) is an important free-living rodent that inhabits eurasian temperate forests. beavers are often referred to as ecosystem engineers because they create or change existing habitats, enhance biodiversity and prepare the environment for diverse plant and animal species. beavers are protected in most european union countries, but their genomic background remains unknown. in this study, gene expression patterns in beaver testes and the variations in genetic express ...201728678806
couch potatoes do better: delayed dispersal and territory size affect the duration of territory occupancy in a monogamous mammal.in territorial, socially monogamous species, the establishment and defense of a territory are an important strategy to maximize individual fitness, but the factors responsible for the duration of territory occupancy are rarely studied, especially in long-lived mammals. a long-term monitoring program in southeast norway spanning over 18 years allowed us to follow the individual life histories of eurasian beavers (castor fiber) from adolescence in their natal family group to dispersal and territor ...201728649346
estimates of underwater and aerial visual acuity in the european beaver castor fiber l. based on morphological data.the eye optics and topographic distribution of ganglion cells were studied using whole mount preparations from european beaver castor fiber l. the beaver eye optics provides emmetropia in air and hypermetropia in water. the optometrical measurements predict retinal resolution of the beaver eye around 17' in air and 9' in water. in air, retinal resolution corresponds to the real visual acuity, whereas in water, visual acuity is below the retinal resolution because of the non-precise focusing.201728508209
gene structure of the pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-like (pag-l) in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber l.).the pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-like family (pag-l) is a large group of chorionic products, expressed in the pre-placental trophoblast and later in the post-implantational chorionic epithelium, and are involved in proper placenta development and embryo-maternal interaction in eutherians. this study describes identification of the pag-l family in the genome of the eurasian beaver (castor fiber l.), named cfpag-l. we identified 7657 bp of the cfpag-l gdna sequence (acc. no. kx377932), encomp ...201728353203
identification of differentially expressed placental transcripts during multiple gestations in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber l.).the eurasian beaver is one of the largest rodents that, despite its high impact on the environment, is a non-model species that lacks a reference genome. characterising genes critical for pregnancy outcome can serve as a basis for identifying mechanisms underlying effective reproduction, which is required for the success of endangered species conservation programs. in the present study, high-throughput rna sequencing (rna-seq) was used to analyse global changes in the castor fiber subplacenta tr ...201728193317
an experience on evaluation of amphibian larvae abundance in "beaver rivers" of central russia.there are many locations in russia where eurasian beaver (castor fiber) populations have been restored. as a keystone species, beavers provide wide-ranging direct and indirect impacts on aquatic ecosystems. in particular, beaver-created ponds are sites for spawning and nursery places for tadpoles of the brown frog (genus rana). because of such impacts, study techniques for assessing aquatic organisms abundance are being developed. we compared two methods for estimating tadpole abundance: traditi ...201627991719
eurasian beaver activity increases water storage, attenuates flow and mitigates diffuse pollution from intensively-managed grasslands.beavers are the archetypal keystone species, which can profoundly alter ecosystem structure and function through their ecosystem engineering activity, most notably the building of dams. this can have a major impact upon water resource management, flow regimes and water quality. previous research has predominantly focused on the activities of north american beaver (castor canadensis) located in very different environments, to the intensive lowland agricultural landscapes of the united kingdom and ...201727792958
leptin plasma concentrations, leptin gene expression, and protein localization in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes of the european beaver (castor fiber).the european beaver (castor fiber) is the largest seasonal free-living rodent in eurasia. since the physiology and endocrine system of this species remains unknown, the present study aimed to determine plasma leptin concentrations and the expression of the leptin gene and protein in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpg and hpa) axes of beavers during breeding (april), postbreeding (july), and prebreeding (november) seasons. leptin plasma concentrations did n ...201727780608
orexin receptor expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes of free-living european beavers (castor fiber l.) in different periods of the reproductive cycle.orexins are hypothalamic neuropeptides acting via two g protein-coupled receptors in mammals: orexin receptor 1 (ox1r) and orexin receptor 2 (ox2r). in european beavers, which are seasonally breeding animals, the presence and functions of orexins and their receptors remain unknown. our study aimed to determine the expression of oxr mrnas and the localization of oxr proteins in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/gonadal (hpa/hpg) axes in free-living beavers. the expression of oxr genes (ox1r, ox2r) a ...201727664717
outcomes of a 'one health' monitoring approach to a five-year beaver (castor fiber) reintroduction trial in scotland.the scottish beaver trial, involving the translocation and release of 16 wild norwegian beavers (castor fiber) to scotland, provides a good example of a 'one health' scientific monitoring approach, with independent monitoring partners on ecology and public health feeding into veterinary health surveillance. pathogen detection did not prohibit beaver release, although eight beavers were seropositive for leptospira spp. six deaths (37.5%) occurred during rabies quarantine, followed by the death of ...201727655648
proximate composition and physicochemical properties of european beaver (castor fiber l.) meat.the proximate composition of meat from young and mature european beaver and physicochemical properties during storage were investigated. the young beaver meat contains 20.52g of protein and 1.86g of fat in 100g, while mature animals 22.16g and 0.73g. index of nutritional quality for protein ranged from 2.03 to 2.24. storage had a greater impact on the physicochemical properties of beaver meat than animal age and muscle type. the meat of mature beavers was significantly (p<0.05) darker (l*=28.51) ...201727585304
morphological and neuroanatomical study of the mammary gland in the immature and mature european beaver (castor fiber).this study investigated general morphology and immunohistochemical properties of nerve fibres supplying the mammary gland (mg) in the european beaver. the microscopic analysis of the beaver mammary gland revealed the presence of morphological structures which are characteristic for mammals. there were no distinct differences in the morphological features of the mammary gland between the juvenile and non-pregnant mature beaver. the nerve fibres were visualized using antibodies against protein gen ...201627497494
high and novel genetic diversity of francisella tularensis in germany and indication of environmental persistence.in germany tularemia is a re-emerging zoonotic disease. therefore, we investigated wild animals and environmental water samples for the presence and phylogenetic diversity of francisella tularensis in the poorly studied berlin/brandenburg region. the phylogenomic analysis of three isolates from wild animals revealed three new subclades within the phylogenetic tree of f. tularensis [b.71 from a raccoon dog (nyctereutes procyonoides); b.74 from a red fox (vulpes vulpes), and b.75 from a eurasian b ...201627356883
plasma-glucocorticoids and acth levels during different periods of activity in the european beaver (castor fiber l.).glucocorticoids (gcs) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (acth) are major components of the classic endocrine stress response. free-living vertebrates are characterized by circannual changes in the baseline and/or stress-induced secretion of gcs and acth. in mammalian species, gc and acth levels vary seasonally but there is no consensus to the season in which animals have elevated gc and acth levels. the aim of our study was to determine, for the first time, the type and amount of glucocorticoids p ...201526975136
demodex castoris sp. nov. (acari: demodecidae) parasitizing castor fiber (rodentia), and other parasitic arthropods associated with castor spp.a new species of demodecid mite, demodex castoris sp. nov. (acari: prostigmata: demodecidae), is described based on adult stages from the skin of the nasal region of the eurasian beaver castor fiber linnaeus, 1758, collected in poland. this is the first detection of a representative demodecid mite in rodents of the suborder castorimorpha and also represents the first detection of a skin mite in eurasian beavers. the new species is a small skin mite (average 173 µm in length) characterized by sex ...201626865230
beaver ponds' impact on fluvial processes (beskid niski mts., se poland).beaver (castor sp.) can change the riverine environment through dam-building and other activities. the european beaver (castor fiber) was extirpated in poland by the nineteenth century, but populations are again present as a result of reintroductions that began in 1974. the goal of this paper is to assess the impact of beaver activity on montane fluvial system development by identifying and analysing changes in channel and valley morphology following expansion of beaver into a 7.5 km-long headwa ...201626657380
isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility of streptococcus castoreus isolated from carcasses of european beavers (castor fiber) in germany.streptococcus (s.) castoreus was isolated from seven beavers (castor fiber), which were found dead in the federal state of brandenburg, germany, and submitted to the berlin-brandenburg state laboratory for post mortem diagnostics. the isolates originated from various inflammatory processes where they were associated with other gram negative and gram positive aerobic and/or anaerobic bacteria (i. e. actinobacillus sp., species of the actinomycetaceae family, coliform bacteria, fusobacterium sp., ...201526591385
impact of beaver pond colonization history on methylmercury concentrations in surface water.elevated concentrations of methylmercury (mehg) in freshwater ecosystems are of major environmental concern in large parts of the northern hemisphere. beaver ponds have been identified as a potentially important source of mehg. the role of beavers might be especially pronounced in large parts of europe, where beaver populations have expanded rapidly following near-extirpation. this study evaluates the role of the age and colonization history (encompassing patterns of use and reuse) of ponds cons ...201526450629
biochemical adaptations to dive-derived hypoxia/reoxygenation in semiaquatic rodents.to meet the challenges presented by dive-derived hypoxia/reoxygenation transition, the aquatic mammals possess multi-level adaptations. however, the adjustments of the semiaquatic animals as modern analogs of evolutionary intermediates between ancestral terrestrial mammals and their fully aquatic descendants are still not fully elucidated. the aim of this study was to analyze the total lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) activity (in the lactate to pyruvate direction), the ldh patterns and the antioxida ...201526341791
the use of acceleration to code for animal behaviours; a case study in free-ranging eurasian beavers castor fiber.recent technological innovations have led to the development of miniature, accelerometer-containing electronic loggers which can be attached to free-living animals. accelerometers provide information on both body posture and dynamism which can be used as descriptors to define behaviour. we deployed tri-axial accelerometer loggers on 12 free-ranging eurasian beavers castor fiber in the county of telemark, norway, and on four captive beavers (two eurasian beavers and two north american beavers c. ...201526317623
socio-ecological features other than sex affect habitat selection in the socially obligate monogamous eurasian beaver.habitat selection is a context-dependent mechanism, in which both the internal state as well as external factors affect the behavior and decisions of an individual. this is well known for polygamous mammals, which are typically sexually dimorphic, and often express great variability in behavior and habitat selection between individuals as well between the sexes. among monogamous mammals, however, variability in habitat selection should be explained by group characteristics and the presence of of ...201526260166
yersinia enterocolitica strains isolated from beavers (castor fiber).pseudocloacal swabs and palatine tonsils from beavers have been examined for the yersinia enterocolitica presence. thirty-six samples from 24 beavers were collected and subjected to bacteriological examinations including sero- and biotypisation. amplicons confirmed by pcr as y. enterocolitica were sequenced. positive samples originated from 4 out of the 24 beavers (16.7 %) and all the strains belonged to biotype 1a. the study suggested that y. enterocolitica could be isolated from beavers, which ...201526172198
echinococcus multilocularis detection in live eurasian beavers (castor fiber) using a combination of laparoscopy and abdominal ultrasound under field conditions.echinococcus multilocularis is an important pathogenic zoonotic parasite of health concern, though absent in the united kingdom. eurasian beavers (castor fiber) may act as a rare intermediate host, and so unscreened wild caught individuals may pose a potential risk of introducing this parasite to disease-free countries through translocation programs. there is currently no single definitive ante-mortem diagnostic test in intermediate hosts. an effective non-lethal diagnostic, feasible under field ...201526167927
the innate immunity of wild eurasian beaver from poland - present knowledge and the need for research.for the first time we tried to examine the basic parameters of innate immunity in beavers for developing the new methods of prevention against infectious diseases in different reintroduction and translocation programmes in poland. the aim of the present study was to determine the selected innate immunity parameters in eurasian beavers living in natural conditions. the analyses of the results showed that the phagocytic ability (rba) and potential killing activity (pka) of blood phagocytes were hi ...201426155167
determination of perfluorinated sulfonate and perfluorinated acids in tissues of free-living european beaver (castor fiber l.) by d-spe/ micro-uhplc-ms/ms.perfluorooctanesulfonate (pfos) and perfluorooctanoic acid (pfoa) are the main representatives of an rising class of persistent organic pollutants (pops), perfluorochemicals (pfcs). in this study, determination of selected pfcs concentration in liver, brain, tail, adipose and peritoneum tissues of free-living european beaver (castor fiber l.) was addressed. tissue samples, collected from beavers living in masurian lakeland (ne poland), were analyzed by dispersive solid phase extraction (d-spe) w ...201526143169
new finding of trichinella britovi in a european beaver (castor fiber) in latvia.we report the first finding of trichinella britovi in a european beaver. in latvia, beaver is a common game animal and frequently used in human diet. a high prevalence of trichinella infections in latvia is present in the most common hosts-carnivores and omnivores. in total, 182 european beaver muscle samples were tested for trichinella larvae accordingly to the reference method of european communities commission regulation (ec) no. 2075/2005 (2005). trichinella britovi larvae were detected in o ...201526122989
haematology and serum biochemistry parameters and variations in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber).haematology parameters (n = 24) and serum biochemistry parameters (n = 35) were determined for wild eurasian beavers (castor fiber), between 6 months - 12 years old. of the population tested in this study, n = 18 eurasian beavers were from norway and n = 17 originating from bavaria but now living extensively in a reserve in england. all blood samples were collected from beavers via the ventral tail vein. all beavers were chemically restrained using inhalant isoflurane in 100% oxygen prior to blo ...201526066344
[succession caused by beaver (castor fiber l.) life activity: ii. a refined markov model].the refined markov model of cyclic zoogenic successions caused by beaver (castor fiber l.) life activity represents a discrete chain of the following six states: flooded forest, swamped forest, pond, grassy swamp, shrubby swamp, and wet forest, which correspond to certain stages of succession. those stages are defined, and a conceptual scheme of probable transitions between them for one time step is constructed from the knowledge of beaver behaviour in small river floodplains of "bryanskii les" ...201525985487
mites of the genus schizocarpus trouessart, 1896 (acariformes: chirodiscidae) from the north american beavers (castor canadensis) in russia.four native species of parasitic mites belonging to the genus schizocarpus trouessart, 1896 (acariformes: chirodiscidae) are recorded on the north american beaver castor canadensis kuhl, 1820 (rodentia: castoridae) from russia. totally ten beavers from all three main geographically isolated populations of in russia (leningrad province, voronezh biosphere reserve (beaver farm) and khabarovsk territory) were examined. additionally, in captivity (voronezh beaver farm) eight species were recorded sw ...201525936168
stichorchis subtriquetrus (digenea: paramphistomatidae) from eurasian beaver (castor fiber) in the czech republic.between march 2012 and april 2014, we performed post-mortem parasitological examinations of 11 eurasian beavers (castor fiber linnaeus, 1758) from the basins of four main rivers (dyje, labe, morava, vltava) in the czech republic. the cause of death of five adult animals was unknown, three adult animals died after being hit by cars, while one young and one adult as a result of serious injuries and one juvenile male drowned. the trematode stichorchis subtriquetrus (rudolphi, 1814) lühe, 1909 was o ...201525916466
[morphological diversity in the postnatal skull development in representatives of two families of rodents (spalacidae, castoridae, rodentia)].this is the first study to describe the results of measurement of three information parameters of morphological diversity (entropy, the measure of organization, and the kullback-leibler divergence) in the course of postnatal development of the skull in the populations of two rodent species (greater mole rat (spalax microphthalmus guld.) and eurasian beaver (castor fiber (l.)). the terms "morphosystem" and "morphological space" and its structure are introduced. within the framework of the develop ...201525720278
beaver-mediated methane emission: the effects of population growth in eurasia and the americas.globally, greenhouse gas budgets are dominated by natural sources, and aquatic ecosystems are a prominent source of methane (ch(4)) to the atmosphere. beaver (castor canadensis and castor fiber) populations have experienced human-driven change, and ch(4) emissions associated with their habitat remain uncertain. this study reports the effect of near extinction and recovery of beavers globally on aquatic ch4 emissions and habitat. resurgence of native beaver populations and their introduction in o ...201525515021
[succession caused by beaver (castor fiber l.) life activity: i. what is learnt from the calibration of a simple markov model].a homogeneous markov chain of three aggregated states "pond--swamp--wood" is proposed as a model of cyclic zoogenic successions caused by beaver (castor fiber l.) life activity in a forest biogeocoenosis. to calibrate the chain transition matrix, the data have appeared sufficient that were gained from field studies undertaken in "bryanskii les" reserve in the years of 2002-2008. major outcomes of the calibrated model ensue from the formulae of finite homogeneous markov chain theory: the stationa ...201425509040
first report of a multidrug-resistant klebsiella pneumoniae of sequence type 11 causing sepsis in a free-ranging beaver (castor fiber).klebsiella pneumoniae of sequence type (st) 11 is a hyper-epidemic nosocomial clone spreading worldwide among humans and also emerging in pets. in this report, we describe a clinical case of fatal sepsis due to this multidrug-resistant (mdr) pathogen in a eurasian beaver. the isolate showed resistance to six different classes of antimicrobials including third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. this is the first report describing the detection of a mdr k. pneumoniae st11 in a free-ra ...201525504757
[succession caused by beaver (castor fiber l.) life activity: i. what is learnt from the calibration of a simple markov model].a homogeneous markov chain of three aggregated states "pond--swamp--wood" is proposed as a model of cyclic zoogenic successions caused by beaver (castor fiber l.) life activity in a forest biogeocoenosis. to calibrate the chain transition matrix, the data have appeared sufficient that were gained from field studies undertaken in "bryanskii les" reserve in the years of 2002-2008. major outcomes of the calibrated model ensue from the formulae of finite homogeneous markov chain theory: the stationa ...201425490839
beavers indicate metal pollution away from industrial centers in northeastern poland.heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants, and wild animals are increasingly exposed to the harmful effects of compounds of anthropogenic origin, even in areas distant from industrial centers. we used atomic absorption spectrometry to determine levels of cadmium (cd), lead (pb), copper (cu), and zinc (zn) in liver and kidney of wild eurasian beavers (castor fiber) in poland. cd concentrations in liver (0.21 ± 0.44 μg/g) and in kidney (2.81 ± 4.52 μg/g) were lower in juvenile than in ...201525369919
virulence factors genes in enterococci isolated from beavers (castor fiber).only limited information exists concerning the microbiota in beaver (castor fiber). this study has been focused on the virulence factors genes detection in enterococci from beavers. in general, animals are not affected by enterococcal infections, but they can be a reservoir of, e.g. pathogenic strains. moreover, detection of virulence factors genes in enterococci from beavers was never tested before. free-living beavers (12), male and female (age 4-5 years) were caught in the north-east part of ...201525300356
histological evaluation of selected organs of the eurasian beavers (castor fiber) inhabiting poland.there is a general scarcity of data on the histological structure of major organs in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber). this study presents the histological characteristics of beaver organs such as the liver, spleen, cardiac muscle, lungs and kidneys. tissue samples were collected from 21 beavers and analysed. selected samples of tail tissue were additionally examined. tissue samples were placed in neutral buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. 4-μm-thick sections were stained with haemato ...201525255694
nuclear and mitochondrial genetic structure in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) - implications for future reintroductions.many reintroduction projects for conservation fail, and there are a large number of factors that may contribute to failure. genetic analysis can be used to help stack the odds of a reintroduction in favour of success, by conducting assessment of source populations to evaluate the possibility of inbreeding and outbreeding depression and by conducting postrelease monitoring. in this study, we use a panel of 306 snp (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers and 487-489 base pairs of mitochondrial dn ...201425067948
immunoblotting for the serodiagnosis of alveolar echinococcosis in alive and dead eurasian beavers (castor fiber).a novel species-specific anti-beaver-igg-alkaline-phosphatase conjugate was synthesized for the development of a new serological test for echinococcosis in beavers. two different elisas conventionally used for human echinococcus multilocularis serology (em18-elisa and em2-elisa) yielded diagnostic sensitivities of 0% and 46%, respectively. in contrast, the subsequently developed immunoblotting assay gave an 85% diagnostic sensitivity (11 out of 13 beavers with alveolar echinococcosis were immuno ...201424986466
a novel method to reduce time investment when processing videos from camera trap studies.camera traps have proven very useful in ecological, conservation and behavioral research. camera traps non-invasively record presence and behavior of animals in their natural environment. since the introduction of digital cameras, large amounts of data can be stored. unfortunately, processing protocols did not evolve as fast as the technical capabilities of the cameras. we used camera traps to record videos of eurasian beavers (castor fiber). however, a large number of recordings did not contain ...201424918777
the genetic legacy of multiple beaver reintroductions in central europe.the comeback of the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) throughout western and central europe is considered a major conservation success. traditionally, several subspecies are recognised by morphology and mitochondrial haplotype, each linked to a relict population. during various reintroduction programs in the 20th century, beavers from multiple source localities were released and now form viable populations. these programs differed in their reintroduction strategies, i.e., using pure subspecies vs. ...201424827835
ancient mitochondrial dna and the genetic history of eurasian beaver (castor fiber) in europe.after centuries of human hunting, the eurasian beaver castor fiber had disappeared from most of its original range by the end of the 19th century. the surviving relict populations are characterized by both low genetic diversity and strong phylogeographical structure. however, it remains unclear whether these attributes are the result of a human-induced, late holocene bottleneck or already existed prior to this reduction in range. to investigate genetic diversity in eurasian beaver populations du ...201424795996
light and electron microscopy of the european beaver (castor fiber) stomach reveal unique morphological features with possible general biological significance.anatomical, histological, and ultrastructural studies of the european beaver stomach revealed several unique morphological features. the prominent attribute of its gross morphology was the cardiogastric gland (cgg), located near the oesophageal entrance. light microscopy showed that the cgg was formed by invaginations of the mucosa into the submucosa, which contained densely packed proper gastric glands comprised primarily of parietal and chief cells. mucous neck cells represented <0.1% of cells ...201424727802
the influence of mean climate trends and climate variance on beaver survival and recruitment dynamics.ecologists are increasingly aware of the importance of environmental variability in natural systems. climate change is affecting both the mean and the variability in weather and, in particular, the effect of changes in variability is poorly understood. organisms are subject to selection imposed by both the mean and the range of environmental variation experienced by their ancestors. changes in the variability in a critical environmental factor may therefore have consequences for vital rates and ...201224501052
comparison of bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) for the detection of f. tularensis subsp. holarctica in wild animals.detection of the zoonotic pathogen francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica (ef tularensis) in wild animals with culture techniques as well as polymerase chain reaction were compared and discussed on the basis of the investigation of 60 animals. the samples originated from 55 european brown hares (lepus europaeus), two red foxes (vulpes vulpes) and one each from a wild rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus), a european beaver (castor fiber), and a lemur (lemur catta). when comparing the growth of 28 f. ...201323901583
proximate weather patterns and spring green-up phenology effect eurasian beaver (castor fiber) body mass and reproductive success: the implications of climate change and topography.low spring temperatures have been found to benefit mobile herbivores by reducing the rate of spring-flush, whereas high rainfall increases forage availability. cold winters prove detrimental, by increasing herbivore thermoregulatory burdens. here we examine the effects of temperature and rainfall variability on a temperate sedentary herbivore, the eurasian beaver, castor fiber, in terms of inter-annual variation in mean body weight and per territory offspring production. data pertain to 198 indi ...201323504905
reference-free snp discovery for the eurasian beaver from restriction site-associated dna paired-end data.in this study, we used restriction site-associated dna (rad) sequencing to discover snp markers suitable for population genetic and parentage analysis with the aim of using them for monitoring the reintroduction of the eurasian beaver (castor fibre) to scotland. in the absence of a reference genome for beaver, we built contigs and discovered snps within them using paired-end rad data, so as to have sufficient flanking region around the snps to conduct marker design. to do this, we used a simple ...201323432348
spatial spread of eurasian beavers in river networks: a comparison of range expansion rates.1. accurately measuring the rate of spread for expanding populations is important for reliably predicting their future spread, as well as for evaluating the effect of different conditions and management activities on that rate of spread. 2. although a number of methods have been developed for such measurement, all these are designed only for one- or two-dimensional spread. species dispersing along rivers, however, require specific methods due to the distinctly branching structure of river networ ...201323336367
establishment of a health surveillance program for reintroduction of the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) into scotland.in 2009 and 2010 16 norwegian eurasian beavers (castor fiber) were reintroduced to knapdale, scotland as part of a 5-yr reintroduction trial (scottish beaver trial). despite numerous reintroduction programs throughout europe there is no published information concerning recommended health surveillance during beaver reintroduction and only one publication describing causes of mortality. we describe the establishment of a health surveillance program based on international union of conservation of n ...201223060498
genetic characterisation of toxoplasma gondii isolates from european beavers (castor fiber) and european wildcats (felis silvestris silvestris).six free-ranging european beavers (castor fiber) from berlin greater metropolitan area and twelve european wildcats (felis silvestris silvestris) originating from the german federal state of saxony-anhalt were found dead and their carcasses were submitted for necropsy. brain and lung samples were analysed for the presence of toxoplasma gondii dna. histo-pathologic analysis of one beaver revealed several cyst-like protozoal structures in parts of the brain. tissue dna isolated from all animal sam ...201322989954
[patterns of morphological variability in reintroduced populations with two beaver subspecies castor fiber orientoeuropaeus and castor fiber belorussicus (castoridae, rodentia) as an example].taking as an example two beaver subspecies (castor fiber orientoeuropaeus and castor fiber belorussicus) with documented history of population formation, the patterns of morphological variability in translocated groups of mammals are studied. the variability of quantitative and qualitative traits in the formed populations is not characterized by a single direction. the main trend consists in increasing of adaptive norms diversity as related to body size. there observed a slight increase in the l ...201222834167
the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) is apparently not a host to blood parasites in norway.parasites can alter the physiology and behaviour of host species and negatively impact on their fitness thus affecting population densities. this is the first investigation into the presence of blood parasites in the eurasian beaver (castor fiber); a species that has been the subject of many translocation and reintroduction programmes. two hundred and seventy blood slides prepared from the blood of 27 beavers from southern norway were microscopically analysed for the presence of blood parasites. ...201222770707
case study: enrichment of ancient mitochondrial dna by hybridization capture.in ancient dna studies focusing on estimating population histories, genetic markers are sequenced from a large number of samples belonging to the same species. targeting loci of interest using traditional pcr can be time-consuming, in particular when samples are not well preserved and multiple overlapping fragments are required. here, i describe the process of generating dna libraries from ancient dna (adna) extracts for high-throughput sequencing. i use a serial in-solution dna hybridization ap ...201222237536
Echinococcus multilocularis in an imported captive European beaver (Castor fiber) in Great Britain. 201121900259
development of nine new microsatellite loci for the american beaver, castor canadensis (rodentia: castoridae), and cross-species amplification in the european beaver, castor fiber.we developed nine new nuclear dinucleotide microsatellite loci for castor canadensis. all loci were polymorphic, except for one. the number of alleles ranged from two to four and from five to 12 in populations from arizona and wisconsin, respectively. average heterozygosity ranged from 0.13 to 0.86 per locus. since cross-species amplification in castor fiber was successful only in four loci, we tested also nine recently published c. canadensis loci in the eurasian species. eight of the published ...200921564690
reconstruction of karyotype evolution in core glires. i. the genome homology revealed by comparative chromosome painting.glires represent a eutherian clade consisting of rodents and lagomorphs (hares, rabbits, and pikas). chromosome evolution of glires is known to have variable rates in different groups: from slowly evolving lagomorphs and squirrels to extremely rapidly evolving muroids. previous interordinal homology maps between slowly evolving glires were based on comparison with humans. here, we used sets of chromosome-specific probes from tamias sibiricus (sciuridae), castor fiber (castoridae) and humans to s ...201121559983
[introduction of species and microevolution: the european beaver, raccoon dog, and american mink].nine skull samples of the beaver castor fiber, six samples of the raccoon dog nyctereutes procyonoides, and six samples of the american mink neovison vison were studied using phenetic and craniometric methods. analysis of the phenofund structure suggests that in all of the studied species the emergence of novel character variations does not lead to their fixation with a significant frequency. considerable morphological variability emerges in the contact zone of different autochtonous populations ...201121506393
alien species of mammals and their impact on natural ecosystems in the biosphere reserves of russia.the paper analyses the results of a survey of 37 russian biosphere reserves using questionnaires concerning the presence of alien species of mammals, their pathways of penetration, and their impacts on protected ecosystems. the penetration of alien mammals into terrestrial ecosystems of russia is extensive, both in places with maximum human environmental impact (inhabited areas and agricultural lands) and in biosphere reserves with minimal human impact. there are 62 mammal species registered as ...200821396056
mitochondrial genomes reveal slow rates of molecular evolution and the timing of speciation in beavers (castor), one of the largest rodent species.beavers are one of the largest and ecologically most distinct rodent species. little is known about their evolution and even their closest phylogenetic relatives have not yet been identified with certainty. similarly, little is known about the timing of divergence events within the genus castor.201121307956
chemistry and biochemistry of the scent glands of the beaver (castor fiber). 194621066065
fallot's tetralogy in a european beaver (castor fiber).a 20-mo-old, female, 9-kg european beaver (castor fiber) presented with apathy, reduced appetite of 3-day duration and a grade 5/6 systolic heart murmur. thoracic radiographs revealed a diffuse broncho-interstitial pattern suspicious for bronchopneumonia. the echocardiographic findings of a hypertrophied right ventricle, ventricular septal defect with overriding aorta, and infundibular pulmonic stenosis were consistent with fallot's tetralogy. even though the bronchopneumonia rather than the con ...201020597235
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