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?
positive
negative
neither positive nor negative
both positive and negative

Answer 1

both positive and negative

Explanation: Elephants are ecosystem engineers and keystone species — their feeding, trampling, and digging create new habitats (e.g., ponds, open grasslands) and aid seed dispersal, benefiting some species, while they also destroy vegetation and remove habitats for others.