> I’m sure this is an oversimplification of a complex ecosystem-wide impact, but my understanding is that the effect is mostly that it forces deer and elk to st

> I’m sure this is an oversimplification of a complex ecosystem-wide impact, but my understanding is that the effect is mostly that it forces deer and elk to stay on the move, making it easier for certain types of plants and trees to survive. After most of the wolves were wiped out we discovered the concept of keystone predators [1] that keep other predators and herbivores in check so that they don't go through catastrophic boom and bust cycles. Part of that is moving them around more but also just plain population control. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystone_species#The_wolf,_Yellowstone's_apex_predator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystone_species#The_wolf,_Yel...