Biodiversity

African elephants are herbivores distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa. These elephants live in communities that may include cattle egrets, olive baboons, and various reptiles and amphibians. African elephants shape their habitats in many ways, including by clearing paths through dense brush and digging into the ground to create water holes.

Which of the following scientific questions would be most helpful in determining if the African elephant is a keystone species in the communities in which it lives?

(Choice A)
If all of the African elephants in a certain community are removed, does the total number of remaining organisms in the community decrease?
(Choice B)
Are African elephants more abundant than other herbivores in the communities they inhabit?
(Choice C)
Is total species diversity lower in areas where African elephants have been eliminated by poaching compared to areas where African elephants are present?
(Choice D)
When African elephants are added to a community that they previously did not inhabit, does their population increase quickly?

AP®︎/College Biology

Course: AP®︎/College Biology > Unit 8

Problem