Essay On Oxpeckers

The basis of mutualism is the idea of reciprocity. This traditional assumption is tested in this new study that examines the relationship between Oxpeckers and large mammals in Oxford, Ohio. In this study done by Miami University Professor of Biology Dr. David Russell he divides cattle into two groups; one group has the presence of Oxpeckers the other has the absences, in order to test the amount of tick loads—a food source to the Oxpeckers—that is found on the cattle after a month. He performs this study three times and each time the groups undergo a different treatment and the amount of ticks are counted. According to Dr. Russell (2016) “the presence and absences of the Oxpeckers had no effect on the tick load found on the cattle.” In essence
Moreover, in the study it was discovered that Oxpeckers spend a minute amount of time actually looking for ticks, majority of the time was invested in picking at the wounds of the host, eating dead skin, and searching for wax. Furthermore, the cattle did not seem to welcome the company of the Oxpeckers but saw them as more of a nuisance due to the fact that they did more harm than good. The amount of wounds and wax accumulate was tallied and based on the data, the Oxpeckers enlarged the wounds of the cattle and prolonged how long it took for the wounds to heal and spent majority of the time gorging on their blood. The Oxpecker are more of an obligated partner, and unlike the cattle they actually depend on the cattle for survival, therefore making their relationship seem more parasitic rather than mutualistic. In conclusion, the lack of statistically evidence to validate the once held assumption that, Oxpeckers and large mammals have a mutually beneficial relationship can no longer be held as true, because the scale tips more in favor of the Oxpeckers, the two organisms are not equal in their