A biome is described as various communities of animals and plants that are said to have the same characteristics, mainly based on the commo9n environment they stay. In most cases, the environment is created due to the presence of similar weather conditions. Elephants are mostly found in Africa, which attracts more tourists in visiting Africa. Around the world, African elephants are also called savanna elephants, and they are also the largest land mammal. They are 12 feet tall and weigh10,000 pounds, and they also have a long trunk that is known to be very flexible. In Africa, the elephants live in Africa’s savannas (Delgado-Baquerizo et al., 2020).
Furthermore, there are two elephant species: forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis ) and savanna elephant. As the elephants are the largest mammals, and they are known to play a vital role in the natural ecosystems balancing. The elephant is also known for making water holes used by other wildlife, mostly when they dig riverbeds when rainfall is low. Besides, they are also known to be dominant in the environment as they significantly impact the ecology. In most cases, people do not know one of the most crucial roles of the elephants is a horticulturist in Africa’s ecosystem. Their droppings are also known to serve its importance of the birds and baboons that are said to pick them up for nuts and seeds.
Types of biomes
Grassland Biome-It is known to be made up of various rolling hills of grasses .they have enough grasses for the growth of trees in large numbers. Besides, despite the few trees growing in the grassland, they are kept under control by sporadic wildfire.
Tundra Biome –They are known to be the coldest place around the earth, which is similar to the cold desert, and their difference is that it contains different plants and animals together with how it receives rain (Delgado-Baquerizo et al., 2020).Despite the harsh condition, the biome has habitats for both the animals and plants.
Aquatic Biome –In this biome, it describes being surrounded by water, which includes both salt and freshwater. It is divided further into Westland biomes, freshwater biomes, coral reef biomes, estuaries, and freshwater biomes.
Forest Biome -This biome is the most massive, and it has many insects, plants, trees, a microscopic organism, plants, and animals. One of the forest biomes’ significant characteristics is the presence of trees, and 30% of the earth is known to be made up of forest biomes.
The threats faced by the elephant in Africa
Increase poaching –There has been an increasingly high demand for ivory in Asia, which has also led to an increase in illegal ivory trafficking and poaching. As a result, it has led to a steep decrease in the numbers of savannah and forest elephants. The effort of stopping has also declined due to weak law enforcement, corruption, and insufficient anti-poaching.
Habitat loss and conflict with communities -In Africa, the population increases as people want to use the land for agriculture and make their houses. As a result, the habitat for the elephants has continued to be lost. Furthermore, more land is being covered with agriculture, which makes the habitat of elephants shrink. As a result, it leads to conflict between people and the elephant, which has created competition (Wandesforde-Smith, 2016).On some occasions, the elephant might raid the farmers’ field, and as a result, they end up damaging their crops or even like them, and due to people’s reactions, the elephants are killed in retaliation. Besides, the human population is rising, including their habitat, and the elephants are left without their own pace. This threat will remain a significant problem for the survival of the elephants.
Effect of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is described as the number of microorganisms, plants, and creatures, the different environments of the planet like the rain forest, coral reefs, and deserts and tye large decent variety of qualities in these species, which are all pieces of naturally assorted earth. The increase of wildlife products, especially the ivory, has led to a decrease in biodiversity among the elephant population. Through the demand for biodiversity in biodiversity, the elephants are losing to the human population’s increase due to space (Henley, & Cook, 2019). In most cases, when deforestation occurs, the nutrient soil is washed away before it recovered; it can take up to 50 years, thus making the elephant population decrease. Despite the decrease of the elephant population, the elephants’ habitat can also increase their number if the elephant is taken to a safe place where there are fewer threats like poaching, their survival will increase, which will also increase their number of population.
Population growth model
Two types of population growth models can either decrease or increase the population of elephants, and they include;
In most cases, exponential growth is applicable in an ideal environment where there are unlimited resources. In this kind of environment, no competition will place limits on the development of geometric. This model has a j-shaped curved mainly because as the population increases, the growth rate will also increase. The model shows that when the population of elephants increases, their growth rate will also increase. In a given community, the maximal growth is known as biotic potential. Furthermore, it is mostly applicable to a small population of species like the elephant as their number has decreased.
Logistic growth –In a population, the model will appear where the number starts to approach finite like the elephants. In the model, when the community is seen to the carrying capacity, the environment’s resistance will lead to the slowing of the population growth rate (Morrison et al., 2018). In the model, there is the formation of a sigmoidal S-shaped growth curve. In most cases, the model applies to a population that is stable with a fixed geographical space that also applies to the elephants’ population.
In Africa, the human population is growing at a very high rate, pushing and surging elephants’ population. Farms are established mostly in the habitat of the elephants, and as a result, they become a target for crop-raiding. The high population in the community has also created conflict between the elephant and people, and as a result, both can end up losing their lives or get injured very bad. As the community population increases, different development will make the elephants lack a place where they can settle. Furthermore, the community also wants to expand its agriculture resources, including land, which used to be the elephants’ habitat. If elephants’ problem and threats will not solve, the elephants will continue to decrease in number mainly due to habitat loss to the increase in a community population.