Final answer:
The reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park led to changes in elk behavior and the recovery of willow plant populations, ultimately benefiting the ecosystem. By altering the grazing behavior of elk, the wolves allowed the regrowth of important vegetation, decreasing erosion and improving fish habitat in riparian areas. This highlights the importance of keystone species in maintaining biodiversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Yellowstone National Park, the overgrazing of willow plant populations by elk was a problem. However, when wolves were reintroduced, the willow plant population recovered. This is because the wolves altered the behavior of the elk, causing them to spend less time browsing near streambanks. As a result, the regrowth of important vegetation occurred, benefiting the overall ecosystem.
One fact is that the reintroduction of wolves led to a change in the grazing behavior of elk, as they avoided predation and stopped grazing exposed stream and riverbeds. Another fact is that the regrowth of willow and cottonwood seedlings decreased erosion and provided shading to the creek, improving fish habitat. An observation is that the reduction of elk populations allowed the revegetation of riparian areas. An inference is that the reintroduction of wolves as a keystone species effectively restored biodiversity in the community.