Adaptation of elephant in points
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Answer:
Environmental Adaptations
Elephants eat enormous amounts of vegetation daily , but the digestive system only uses about 40 percent of the intake. It is estimated that nearly 60 percent of elephant feces is undigested or partially digested vegetation. This poor absorption of nutrients is one of the reasons why elephants are considered a keystone species. The undigested or partially digested vegetation generates new plant growth as it is deposited on the elephant's travels. Keystone species play a key role in an ecosystem. Their presence or absence affects many other species.
Elephants are a keystone species in the savannah ecosystem because many plant species require seeds to go through a digestive system before germination. It is estimated that at least one-third of tree species in West Africa rely on the elephants' digestive system for germination. Many savannah species, including elephants, benefit from the new vegetation growth for food and shelter.
Elephants are non-ruminants, meaning the food is fermented after it has been digested by the stomach (hindgut fermentation), and is pushed through the gut at a rapid rate. Because the contact time the fermented food has with the absorptive surfaces of the intestines is limited, non-ruminants are not able to extract as many nutrients from the food. These animals compensate the nutrient loss by eating greater quantities and are capable of eating lower quality vegetation.