Question

Elephants are not the most common species in African grasslands. And although they are large, their combine biomass is really not that big compared to some of the combined biomass of plants in those habitats. The grasslands contain scattered woody plants, but they are kept in check by the uprooting activities of the elephants. Take away the elephants, and the grasslands convert to forests or to shrublands. The newly growing forests support fewer species than the previous grasslands. What term best describes the role played by elephants in these communities

Answer 1

A. Keystone species.

Step-by-step explanation:

A species that has huge impact on the other in the case when there is not much abundant species. In addition to this, it would keep the other populations in the ecosystem. Moreover, if the species would be removed so this would lead in diversity loss

So according to the given situation, the role that played by elephants in these communities is keystone species

Answer 2

This question lacks options, options are: a. Keystone species b. Dominant species c. Competitor species d. Omnivore species e. Mutualistic species. The correct answer is a.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most connected species from a trophic point of view in an ecosystem are keystone species, since their elimination has great effects on the stability and persistence of the network. The Keystone species are those species that play a crucial role in the structure and dynamics of a certain ecosystem and that, in the event of their disappearance, would be seriously unbalanced. These species are responsible for the physical structure of the habitats of many other species, and they play an important role in the succession processes of ecosystems. Elephants play an important role in maintaining the structure and balance of ecosystems in these communities, therefore they are keystone species.