mammalian guts and vores

7/31/2019 Mammalian Guts and Vores

1/4

By Gabby Milgate

Mammalian Guts1. Explain the relationship between the length and overall complexity of digestive systems of a

vertebrate herbivore and a vertebrate carnivore with respect to the chemical composition oftheir diet

a) Read Mammalian Guts and answer the questions:i. Explain the role of bacterial fermentation in the nutrition of foregut fermenting

herbivores

In foregut fermenting herbivores have similar gut structures to that of a ruminant.

These herbivores gain energy through microbes that release fatty acids and gain

protein from digesting these microbes.

ii. Describe a herbivorous diet that would be less reliant on microbial fermentationThe hindgut diet is less reliant on microbial fermentation as only a small percent of

the energy requirements of these herbivores are met by fermentation.

iii. Suggest two reasons why kangaroos thrive on poor foliage in arid regions unsuitablefor cattle

Two reasons for kangaroos thriving on poor foliage in arid regions unsuitable for

cattle are for survival and the obtaining of nutrients and also the required energy.

iv. Identify two adaptations of the honey possum to its diet, explaining the significanceof each

-The stomach which is large and two chambered; second chamber may be used for

storage of nectar and stomach lacks protein digesting enzyme due to the fact that

nectar is a sugary solution that is low in protein and minerals.

-The Tongue which is protrusible (ability to thrust outward), long and slender make

projections into the plant, facilitating the transport of the nectar and pollen into the

mouth

b) Prepare a table (as below) to summarise the differences between the digestive tract ofvertebrate herbivores, carnivores and nectar feeders

Type of Vertebrate Chemical

Composition of diet

Specialised

Structures of the

digestive system

Function of the

structure

Herbivores High Fibre, cellulose -More tubular and

smaller foregut

-Expanded caecum to

allow for smaller

particles to be

retained allowing

larger particles to

pass through the gut

rapidly

Increases the rate by

which food passes

through the gut due

to the fact that high

fibre diets are

harder to digest.

Carnivores Viscera of animals,

varied nutrients,

higher in protein

-Stomach is the main

organ in the gut

(70%)

-Regions for

microbial

The stomach holds

more foods, shorter

small intestine

means for shorter

time to digest, less


2/4

By Gabby Milgate

fermentation are

poorly developed or

absent

-Shorter small

intestine

nutrients absorbed

Nectar Feeders Pollen and Nectar(sugary solution

containing sucrose,

glucose and fructose

however low in

proteins and

minerals)

-Two chamberedstomach which

allows for nectar

storage

-stomach lacks

protein digesting

enzyme

The structure allowsfor the nectar

feeders digestion

system to facilitate

the digestion and

uses of the

chemicals obtained

from the nectar and

to assist in the

digestion to the

needs of the nectar

feeder.

2. a) Construct a comparative table (as below)Feature Herbivore Carnivore Nectar Feeder

Main food source

and major chemical

composition of diet

Plant based foods

such as trees, shrubs,

vegetables,

photosynthesizing

bacteria and algae

CC: Carbohydrate

particularly cellulose

Raw flesh, dead

carcass

CC: Amino Acids,

Protein, Fatty Acids,

Lipids,

Carbohydrates

Nectar, Pollen

CC: proteins (amino

acids),

carbohydrates

(sugars), lipids (fatty

acids, sterols),

vitamins, minerals

(salts),Mechanical

breakdown: teeth

(shapes and

explanations for this)

Herbivores tend to

have teeth with flat

crowns. These flat

crowns aid herbivores

in grinding their food

with large ridged

molars to prepare it

for digestion. They

assist with grinding

foods without

wearing down. Thejaws move side to

side and generally not

up and down this is

useful for grinding

vegetables and plant

material.

Triangular or conical

in shape, large In

shape, long and

pointed, for tearing

raw flesh. This

assists the carnivore

in tearing apart a

carcass or grinding

through tough meat

or flesh. The jaws of

carnivores move upand down, but not

side to side, this is

useful in puncturing

the food to break it

down.

Long, narrow

elongated palates

with gaps in

between. teeth

involves a review of

the principal cusps

on the upper and

lower molarsand

how cusp patterns

have evolved to

assist in thedigestion of the

nectar and pollen

(teeth are barely in

use in the digestion

process)

Time in mouth Saliva does contain

digestive enzymes

More time spent with

food in mouth than

carnivores

Saliva does not

contain digestive

enzymes. Less time

spent with food in

mouth.

Not long, nectar is

directed straight

through

oesophagus

Time spent eating More time taken Smaller proportion 63 minutes per day


3/4

By Gabby Milgate

eating as there is

more chewing and

breaking down of

food required.

of their time is spent

eating

obtaining nectar

Stomach (relative

size and complexity;reasons why)

Ph level of 4-5

therefore cannotdigest rotting or off

meats. Its unable to

digest them and

doesnt have enough

hydrochloric acid.

A carnivore can eat

rotting, bacteria-ridden flesh

completely raw

without getting sick.

They have stomach

acids that kill the

bad stuff and allow

them to digest (10x

more hydrochloric

acid than herbivore

Two compartments,

the larger of thetwo is used for

storage of nectar.

Intestines (length

relative to body size;how this relates to

type of food eaten)

An herbivores small

intestine is 10 to 12times the length of its

trunk, and winds itself

back and forth in

random directions.

This is designed for

keeping food in it for

long enough periods

of time to extract all

the valuable nutrients

and minerals before

the food enters thelarge intestine. An

herbivores large

intestine, or colon, is

puckered and

pouched designed to

hold wastes that

originally were foods

high in water content.

A carnivores or

omnivores smallintestine is 3 to 6

times the length of

its trunk. This is

designed for rapid

elimination of food

that rots quickly. The

large intestine is

short and large like a

pipe.

Varies with the size

of the animal buthas to take

measures to avoid

absorbing too much

sucrose sugar as it is

bad, plenty of

absorption is of

water

Caecum (relative size

and complexity;

reasons why)

Larger caecum than

carnivore

Smaller caecum than

herbivore

Has no caecum


4/4

By Gabby Milgate

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347204003823

Science Direct, Date Accessed: 13/4/12

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivore

Wikipedia, Date Accessed: 13/4/12

http://archive.suite101.com/article.cfm/paleontology/42588

Archive Suite, Date Accessed:14/4/12

http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/prog/wildlife/herbivores.html

BLM, Date Accessed:20/4/12

http://www.powered-by-produce.com/2010/06/09/carnivore-omnivore-or-herbivore/

Powered by Produce, Date Accessed:20/4/12

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2400405?uid=3737536&uid=2&uid=4&sid=56108041533

Jstor, Date Accessed:20/4/12

http://www.beesource.com/resources/usda/honey-bee-nutrition-and-supplemental-feeding/

Bee Source, Date Accessed:20/4/12

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/natrespapers/9/

Digital Commons, Date Accessed:22/4/12

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Anatomy_and_Physiology_of_Animals/The_Gut_and_Digestion

WikiBooks, Date Accessed:22/4/12

mammalian guts and vores

Documents