By Gabby Milgate

Mammalian Guts
1. 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 of their 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 fermentation The 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 unsuitable for 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 significance of 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 of vertebrate herbivores, carnivores and nectar feeders Type of Vertebrate Chemical Specialised Function of the Composition of diet Structures of the structure digestive system Herbivores High Fibre, cellulose -More tubular and Increases the rate by smaller foregut which food passes -Expanded caecum to through the gut due allow for smaller to the fact that high particles to be fibre diets are retained allowing harder to digest. larger particles to pass through the gut rapidly 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

By Gabby Milgate fermentation are poorly developed or absent -Shorter small intestine -Two chambered stomach which allows for nectar storage -stomach lacks protein digesting enzyme nutrients absorbed

Nectar Feeders

Pollen and Nectar (sugary solution containing sucrose, glucose and fructose however low in proteins and minerals)

The structure allows for 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 Main food source Plant based foods and major chemical such as trees, shrubs, composition of diet vegetables, photosynthesizing bacteria and algae CC: Carbohydrate particularly cellulose 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. The jaws move side to side and generally not up and down this is useful for grinding vegetables and plant material. Saliva does contain digestive enzymes More time spent with food in mouth than carnivores More time taken

Carnivore Raw flesh, dead carcass CC: Amino Acids, Protein, Fatty Acids, Lipids, Carbohydrates

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 up and down, but not side to side, this is useful in puncturing the food to break it down. Saliva does not contain digestive enzymes. Less time spent with food in mouth. Smaller proportion

Nectar Feeder Nectar, Pollen CC: proteins (amino acids), carbohydrates (sugars), lipids (fatty acids, sterols), vitamins, minerals (salts), Long, narrow elongated palates with gaps in between. teeth involves a review of the principal cusps on the upper and lower molars and how cusp patterns have evolved to assist in the digestion of the nectar and pollen (teeth are barely in use in the digestion process) Not long, nectar is directed straight through oesophagus 63 minutes per day

Time in mouth

Time spent eating

By Gabby Milgate eating as there is more chewing and breaking down of food required. Ph level of 4-5 therefore cannot digest rotting or off meats. Its unable to digest them and doesnt have enough hydrochloric acid. of their time is spent eating obtaining nectar

Stomach (relative size and complexity; reasons why)

Intestines (length relative to body size; how this relates to type of food eaten)

Caecum (relative size and complexity; reasons why)

An herbivores small intestine is 10 to 12 times 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 the large intestine. An herbivores large intestine, or colon, is puckered and pouched designed to hold wastes that originally were foods high in water content. Larger caecum than carnivore

A carnivore can eat rotting, bacteriaridden 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 A carnivores or omnivores small intestine 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.

Two compartments, the larger of the two is used for storage of nectar.

Varies with the size of the animal but has to take measures to avoid absorbing too much sucrose sugar as it is bad, plenty of absorption is of water

Smaller caecum than herbivore

Has no caecum

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