Question

Select the type of ecological interaction that best fits this description : Small birds often follow large herbivores because it enables them to easily find disturbed insects to eat.

Answer 1

The ecological interaction described is commensalism, where small birds benefit from large herbivores without affecting them. A relevant scientific question to further refine the study on bird population densities is how sheep grazing influences insect availability for the birds.

Step-by-step explanation:

Type of Ecological Interaction

The type of ecological interaction that best fits the description where small birds follow large herbivores to find disturbed insects to eat is known as commensalism.

Commensalism is a type of relationship between two living organisms where one organism benefits from the other without affecting it. This is distinct from other interactions like mutualism, where both species benefit, or predation and parasitism, where one benefits at the other's expense.

Refining the Study with a Scientific Question

To refine the study on how sheep grazing affects the population densities of wild mountain birds, an applicable scientific question could be: "How does the presence of sheep and the intensity of sheep grazing influence the availability of insects as a food source for different bird species?"

This question delves into the intricacies of food availability and how grazing behavior might directly or indirectly alter the insect populations that are critical for birds' diets, hence affecting their population densities.