Question

Elephants shape their environment in many ways. They can change a forest to a grassy field or dig a hole that might become a pond. They clear large amounts of vegetation, which removes habitats for some organisms but makes the area inviting for other organisms. Which best describes possible interactions of elephants with the surrounding ecosystem?

Answer 1

We could say that elephants actively manipulate and change their ecosystem in order to be better adapted to it. By doing this, they can ensure and increase the probability that they will survive in a certain ecosystem; diging a hole that might become a pond for example gives them a place where they can quench their thirst if they need to.