Feeding And Digestion Flashcards
An animal diet provides…
Chemical energy
Organic building blocks
Four classes of essential nutrients
Essential amino acids
Essential fatty acids
Vitamins
Minerals
Essential amino acids
Animals can make about half of the 20 needed amino acids
Protiens in animals provide all amino acids - complete protiens
Most plants don’t have all amino acids - incomplete
Essential Fatty Acids
Animals can make most fatty acids
Fatty acid deficiencies are rare
The Fatty acid profile of an animals tissue can tell about their diet
Vitamins
Organic molecules needed in very small amounts
2 kinds - Fat-soluble and water-soluble
Fat soluble and water soluble vitamins
Water - B,C
Fat - A,D,E,K
Minerals
Inorganic nutrients usually needed in small amounts
Diverse functions
Large amount of some minerals can cause homeostatic imbalance
Malnutrition
An unbalance in critical nutrients, too much or too little
Undernutrition
Shortage of essential nutrients or caloric intake
Deficiencies in essential nutrients can cause… and how do animals avoid?
Deformities, disease and death
Herbivores may lick salts or concentrated minerals
Carnivores may switch prey
Deficiencies in energy intake can cause…
Body uses up stored fats and carbohydrates then moves onto protiens
Main stages of food processing
Mechanical digestion, chemical digestion, nutrients absorption, excretion
Feeding strategies
Suspension/filter feeders
Sunstrate feeders
Fluid feeders
Bulk feeders
Intracellular vs Extracellular digestion
Intra - I’m cells, phagocytosis
Extra - outside cells, in intestine for example
Digestive track with two openings
Alimentary canal
Food is pushed by
Peristalsis
Muscles that control food movement
Sphincters
Crop
Before stomach, storage