Oxpeckers Have Long Been Thought to Have a Mutualistic Relationship

question 28

Essay

Oxpeckers have long been thought to have a mutualistic relationship with cattle in Zimbabwe,whereby the birds remove ticks from the backs of cattle,and the cattle benefit due to the removal of parasitic ticks.The observational experiments of Weeks (2000)in Zimbabwe demonstrated that the relationship between oxpeckers and cattle was not mutualistic,but in fact parasitic.What two oxpecker behaviors did Weeks observe?

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Definitions:

Leg Exercises

Physical activities aimed specifically at strengthening and toning the muscles of the legs.

Preoperative Assessment

An evaluation of a patient's health status before undergoing surgery to identify any potential risk factors.

Anesthesia Provider

A healthcare professional who administers anesthetics, managing patients’ pain and consciousness levels during procedures.

Femoral Artery

A major artery located in the thigh that supplies blood to the lower quadrant of the body, including the leg and foot.