service = 'benefit afforded by animal activity'

[Joel S. Berson]

At 9/11/2010 05:50 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>On _All Things Considered_ this evening an ecologist explained that wild
>insects in the rain forest "provide many services, such as pollination."
>Later she spoke again of various such "services," including "pollination
>services."

Is this so far off target?  Stallions (and other male animals)
provide stud services.  As the OED quaintly puts it, service (n.1)
"36. The action of covering a female animal."

Joel

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