Lecture 3 & 4

Question 1

What are the approaches to studying nutrition?

Answer 1

Nutritionist (detailed approach to specific animals)

Ecologist (general, cross-species approach)

Geometric framework (ecologically driven, appropriately detailed, cross-species approach)
(Middle ground of nutritionist and ecologist)

Question 2

What can nutrient requirements change with?

Answer 2

Age
Season
Condition
Breeding status

Question 3

What is an intake target?

Answer 3

The amount and balance of nutrients an animal needs to gain to maximise fitness

It is naturally selected and so should correspond to peak fitness

Question 4

What is the rule of compromise?

Answer 4

The decision that animals make to over or under eat particular nutrients when restricted to suboptimal diets.

Question 5

The amount of imbalanced foods that an animal eats when it cannot reach its intake target determines what?

Answer 5

It’s rules of compromise

Question 6

What is fitness and how is it measured?

Answer 6

Fitness- lifetime production of viable offspring

Often measured with a proxy- e.g. Weight, size, mating success etc.

Question 7

How might piglet weight change with the diet of the sow?

Answer 7

Restrict lactating pigs to diets varying in P:C and measure consumption

Measure piglet weight and plot value on top consumption point to create fitness landscape
Blue= low, valleys, Red=high, peaks

Should get some kind of interaction, where piglet grow best at a specific protein and carb intake.