Question

What happened when oxpeckers were excluded from contact with cattle?

1) Wounds on cattle became worse
2) Cattle had lower overall survival
3) Cattle had greater fitness
4) Mean number of wounds on cattle decreased

Answer 1

Exclusion of oxpeckers from cattle leads to a decrease in the mean number of wounds on cattle, suggesting that while oxpeckers do consume ectoparasites, they may also impede wound healing by feeding on the wounds themselves.

Step-by-step explanation:

When oxpeckers were excluded from contact with cattle, the mean number of wounds on cattle decreased. This suggests that oxpeckers, often considered to be in a mutualistic relationship with herbivores due to their consumption of ectoparasites, may also contribute to the persistence or exacerbation of wounds on cattle.

Although oxpeckers do feed on ticks and parasitic insects, they are also known to peck at the wounds of large mammals to keep them open for their own benefit, enabling them to feed on the blood and tissues. This behavior leads to a slower healing process for the cattle, and thus when oxpeckers are excluded, wounds may have a better chance of healing, thereby reducing the incidence of open wounds on the cattle.