NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES IN MAMMALS EEOB 625 – 18 February Assigned Reading: Foods & Feeding, Chapter 6 from Feldhamer et al. (1999) available on Electronic Reserve (Instructions on Course Website)

Components of a Nutritional Strategy Strategy: A suite of adaptations providing a solution to a major “problem of existence” 1) nutrition, 2) survival, & 3)reproduction Components of a Nutritional Strategy: Foraging and anti-predation behavior Feeding habits or diet Morphological & Physiological Adaptations

Feeding Habits of Mammals & their taxonomic distribution ( Zoo 625 ) Feeding Habit Number of Percent of Orders Species Herbivory Frugivory, Graniv., Nectivory 5 4 Carnivory 4 12 Planktonivory ? (Krill feeders) 2 <1 Insectivory Omnivory 7 10

Feldhammer Fig. 6.1

Feeding & Locomotory Adaptations An important “animal” relationship between feeding and locomotion Traditional basis for grouping mammals into orders by adaptive zone classification (17 of 26 orders ), but will this survive cladistic analysis? Feeding & locomotion provide solutions to two of three major problems of existence: Nutrition, Survival (antipredation) & Reproduction

Analysis of Feeding and Related Adaptations Feldhamer’s Approach: Foods and morphological adaptations for capture, mastication, & digestion; e.g., herbivore, carnivore, insectivore Alternative Approach: One based on: 1.Distribution & abundance, including seasonal variation 2.Availability: e.g., Low in nocturnal flying insects 3.Quality: e.g., High (in protein) in insects, fleshy prey, & seeds and nuts, Low in leave & stems of plants The problem of toxicity in leaves of some plants

Herbivory & The Problem with Cellulose Cellulose: 1) Ultra-a bundant? plant cell walls & fiber 2) High in energy? polycarbohydrate 3) Unavailable ? Cellulase: Origin & taxonomic distribution? Found only in bacteria & some protozoans

Morphological & Physiological Adaptations for Herbivory 1.Finding, securing, & masticating food 2.Providing for (?) anaerobic bacteria & protozoans (microflora) 3. The problem of plant toxins Dental adaptations for herbivory Incisors, molar occlusal surfaces, & masseter

Fig. 6.6

Felids: highly derived carnivores Carnassials & claws Schwartz & Schwartz (1959)

Fig. 6.2

Basics of Ruminant Digestion Evolutionary response to toxins or cellulose? Anatomy of the ruminant “stomach” (R-R-O-A ) Cellulose + microflora SCFA & microflora - hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose - glucose short-chain fatty acids ( SCFA) & ____? - microflora are digested in the abomasum Recycling of salivary urea to fertilize rumen bacteria Foregut & hindgut fermentation: deer vs.horses

Recycling of Urea in Ruminants

Fig. 6.9