1. Adaptations to Food Sources First, what do we get from the food we eat? - Energy - Carbon - Nitrogen - Phosphorus - Other minerals and vitamins

2. Adaptations to Food Sources All consumers eat something. What types of consumers do we have? Mainly: Carnivores, Omnivores, and Herbivores Different types of foods have different ratios of carbon to nitrogen (two main things we need to get from our diets)

3. Adaptations to Food Sources Carbon makes up more than 90% of all living matter, so most of what we eat is carbon Plants contain 98% carbon and 2% nitrogen Animals contain about 7% nitrogen and 93% carbon

4. Adaptations to Food Sources Herbivores -Have to deal with a food source that has a lower amount of nitrogen, so they eat a much larger amount than a carnivore -Another problem is that plants have chemical and physical defenses

5. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses - No defenses is perfect, most plants can defend against some but not all predators

6. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses - Thorns can either stop or slow down herbivores -Giraffe video -What do giraffes do?

7. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses - Grasses contain silica, which is what glass is made from -Herbivores that eat grasses have specalized teeth, called high crowning teeth -Ex: cow, elephant

8. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses -High crowning teeth are capable of grinding tough plant tissues without wearing down as fast as low crowning teeth (like our molars)

9. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses -Cellulose is a molecule found in plant cell walls -No vertebrae can digest cellulose, so herbivores that eat grass have to use bacteria in their digestive tract to break it down.

10. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses: Cellulose -Many animals have a cecum, which is a pouch that stores bacteria that breaks down food

11. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses: Cellulose -Mammals called ruminants (cows, deer…) have a four-chambered stomach to help break down the grasses they eat

12. Elephant digestive system video Write 4 facts about the elephant’s digestive system:

14. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses: Cellulose Ruminant’s 4 stomachs - The rumen Food is broken down by microorganisms into small balls of cud The animal returns the cud to their mouth to be chewed on to crush the fibers

15. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses: Cellulose Ruminant’s 4 stomachs - The Reticulum + Omasum Water, soluble food, and microbial products are absorbed

16. Adaptations to Food Sources Plant Defenses Physical Defenses: Cellulose Ruminant’s 4 stomachs - The Abomasum the “true” acid stomach where enzymes are secreted and “normal” digestion occurs