Mammalian digestive tracts

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Koalas have the largest relative caecum of any mammal Folivores generally have lower metabolic rates, sometimes lower body temperatures, and spend a LOT of time sleeping (to conserve E) and digesting. Folivores: specialize on eating leaves... very low quality diet!
Hindgut fermenters process food about 2X faster Foregut fermenters about 3/2 X more efficient at extracting nutrition; longer time for fermentation allows more production of protein and breakdown of toxic compounds by symbionts So, when food is abundant and good quality (conditions optimal), hindgut fermenters can obtain more energy per day. When food becomes limiting, ruminants can extract more from it, and therefore obtain more energy per day. Ruminants feed in bouts, however, which is why the smallest (like voles) and largest (like rhinos and elephants) herbivores are foregut fermenters.
Page 1 and 2: Mammalian digestive tracts Mouth: m
Page 3 and 4: Problem: most E in leaves/grass not
Page 5 and 6: 3 basic patterns: Carnivores/insect
Page 7: Advantages of microbial fermentatio
Page 11 and 12: Mammals are not just passive compon
Page 13 and 14: Thus, competitive advantage of pere
Page 15 and 16: • Exclosures for 40+ yrs • Sele
Page 17 and 18: Could note lots of other studies sh
Page 19 and 20: Kelp forests are rich, diverse mari
Page 21: OK, didn’t quite finish this one

Mammalian digestive tracts

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