specialized digestive systems Flashcards
what are gut bacteria responsible for
They can produce enzymes that digest that the host could not. They allow access to essential amino acids. They allow the host to absorb more material.
what are herbivores
herbivores eat plants that are rich in complex carbohydrates.
what are carnivores
carnivores eat meat rich in proteins which are much easier to digest
plant-based matter
The plant-based matter requires more frequent feeding and excessive chewing to allow for digestion
meat
meat is energy-dense meaning that carnivores do not need to eat as frequently or for as long
what are hindgut fermenters
do not have the bacteria in their stomach to digest plant matter
why do hindgut fermenters have a large caecum
To house the bacteria required to digest complex matter
do hindgut fermenters practice coprophagy? Yes or No?
Yes
what does the term monogastric mean
has a single-chambered stomach
what is the function of the caecum
Caecum houses bacteria that produce enzymes to digest plant mass
why are deers, for example, classified as ‘ruminant’ herbivores
As they have a four-chambered stomach with a large rumen, long small and large intestine
what is the process of ‘regurgitating’
Involves organisms ingesting food and digesting it in the stomach. It then rises back to the mouth where it is ground by the teeth to further digest it.
what is the coprophagy
Involves egested material to be ingested once again waste products are nutrient-rich. This process occurs in hindgut fermenters as they are incapable of digesting nutrients effectively in the small intestine.
what is the function of the crop in birds
Is a pouch in the oesophagus used to store food temporarily before moving it onto the stomach
what is the function of the gizzard in birds
Is the mechanical stomach of a bird. It mechanical grinds and mixes the bird’s feed.
