Beavers are large, semi-aquatic rodents of the family Castoridae, which in its extant form contains a single genus, Castor, with two recognized species: the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) and the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber). Members of this family are characterized by robust bodies, dense waterproof fur, continuously growing incisors adapted for gnawing wood, and a dorsoventrally flattened, scaly tail used in locomotion and communication. Castoridae are ecosystem engineers, constructing dams and lodges that modify hydrology, sediment dynamics, and riparian vegetation, thereby influencing biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and wetland formation in temperate freshwater ecosystems.
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