Elephants are landscape architects, creating clearings in the forest, preventing overgrowth of certain plant species and allowing space for the regeneration of others, which in turn provide sustenance to others, which in turn provide sustenance to other herbivorous animals. Elephants eat plants, fruits and seeds, propagating the seeds when they defecate in other places as they travel. Elephant dung provides nourishment to plants and animals and acts as a breeding ground for insects. In times of drought, they access water by digging holes which benefits other wildlife. Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational inference that can be drawn from the passage?
- AThe home range of elephants needs to be a vast area of rich biodiversity
- BElephants are the keystone species and they benefit the biodiversityCorrect
- CRich biodiversity cannot be maintained in the forests without the presence of elephants
- DElephants are capable of regenerating forests with species as per their requirement.
Explanation
The passage describes elephants as landscape architects that perform multiple critical roles they create clearings, regenerate plant species, disperse seeds, provide nourishment through dung, and provide water for other wildlife during droughts. All these actions demonstrate that elephants play a disproportionately large role in maintaining the structure and health of their ecosystem. In ecology, such a species is defined as a keystone species. Therefore, the statement that elephants are the keystone species and they benefit the biodiversity is the most logical and direct inference.
Option A is incorrect because the passage focuses on the elephants impact on the environment, not the size of their home range. Option C is too extreme, as it suggests biodiversity cannot exist without them, which the passage does not claim. Option D is incorrect because it implies elephants have a conscious plan or requirement when regenerating forests, whereas the passage describes it as a natural ecological process.
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