Elephants: Nature's Eco-Engineers Transforming Ecosystems

Ecological engineering leads to the creation and restoration of sustainable ecosystems. Elephants are among the numerous species that contribute to this delicate balance, but as the largest land mammal on this planet they are exceptional eco-engineers that are vital to biodiversity and landscape formation.

How are elephants’ eco-engineers? 

1. Shaping of Landscapes 

   
   

Elephants can alter or shape a landscape by causing changes in plant biomass. Through their feeding habits, elephants meander through distinct parts of a landscape, feeding on different plants and in turn, cause changes in the availability of certain plant species in a landscape. 

2. Landscape-patchiness  

Elephants ensure that there is a unique pattern of plant species within a landscape. This also contributes to the physiognomy of vegetation communities (the general form or physical appearance of an ecosystem), which creates a sustainable environment for other species to thrive, as plant material in thickets is exposed (creating plains), allowing more sunlight for growth of other plant species and leading to species diversity in an ecosystem. 

3. Landscape Composition 

   
   

Through their deposits of fecal materials, elephants contribute to the growth of other plant species via seed disposal and create favourable soil compositions for underground ecosystems, thus creating a delicate balance between underground habitats and terrestrial habitats

4. Contribution to Ecosystem Cleaning 

   
   

Due to the debarking of plant species with their tusks, such as the Brachystegia that they like to feed on, elephants contribute to periodic fires. These species tend to dry out due to debarking, causing them to be ready fuel for periodic fires, which serve as ecosystem cleaners of dead organic matter, and this has the potential to choke the growth of smaller plant material. Furthermore, due to these fires, invasive species (plant or animal) are eliminated from an ecosystem, and the increase in temperature during these fires causes germination of seeds i.e., lupines, which are essential for the survival of other species such as caterpillars. 

5. Creation of Water Sources 

In hot seasons, and mostly areas with poor precipitation, Elephants utilize their tusks, trunks, and feet to dig into confined soil layers in a quest to create water holes. These water holes tap into underground water systems and cause water to flush out and form mud pools and streams that other species can benefit from. 

Whilst all organisms play a critical role within their ecosystems and are dependent on each other for survival, elephants, through their extraordinary size, extensive dietary repertoire, and vast home ranges, are key contributors in shaping sustainable, healthy, and viable ecosystems.  

Sources 

1. IUCN. (2023). Report on the Potential of Nature Based Solutions. https://iucn.org/  

2. KAZA. (2023). An Aerial Survey of Elephants and other Large Herbivores in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. Vol (1), Results and Technical Report.