Nutrition in herbivores

Question 1

Explain why herbivores struggle to get enough energy and nutrients from the food they eat?

Answer 1

Herbivores eat plants
The plant material on which they feed on contains much energy in the form of carbohydrates, but this energy is hard to access
The reason that it is hard to access carbohydrates from plants is that the cellulose in the plant walls is virtually indigestible so herbivores have to rely largely on their mutualistic bacteria in their alimentary canals to break down the cellulose
Carbohydrates are a source of energy and not rich in other nutrients
Herbivores then spend large amount of time eating and release a lot of faeces

Question 2

Dentition

Answer 2

The type,number and arrangement of teeth an animal’s mouth

Question 3

How are herbivores adapted to eat plant material

Answer 3

They have sharp spade like incisors that are used for chopping plant material against the upper jaws horny pad
Pre-molars and molars are square with flatter surfaces and ridges on top to crush and grind the plant material into a fine pulp