Question

Elephants, who are important grazers, are instrumental in transforming woodlands into grasslands. This has a tremendous impact on other species that depend on the grass for their survival. Which is the significance of the elephant in this example?
Dominant species
Keystone species
Invasive species
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Answer 1

The significance of elephants can be characterized as them being a Keystone species. Keystone species are usually considered to be species which have a extremely largy impact on a certain ecological niche or certain environment compared to their relative presence in that environment. In other words, while elephants aren't exactly the most numerous of species, they represent an important element of their environment which also effects other animals.