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Clauss M, Fritz J, Hummel J. Teeth and the gastrointestinal tract in mammals: when 1 + 1 = 3. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220544. [PMID: 37839451 PMCID: PMC10577037 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Both teeth and the digestive tract show adaptations that are commonly interpreted in the context of trophic guilds-faunivory, herbivory and omnivory. Teeth prepare food for the digestive tract, and dental evolution focuses on increasing durability and functionality; in particular, size reduction of plant particles is an important preparation for microbial fermentative digestion. In narratives of digestive adaptations, microbes are typically considered as service providers, facilitating digestion. That the majority of 'herbivorous' (and possibly 'omnivorous') mammals display adaptations to maximize microbes' use as prey-by harvesting the microbes multiplying in their guts-is less emphasized and not reflected in trophic labels. Harvesting of microbes occurs either via coprophagy after separation from indigestible material by a separation mechanism in the hindgut, or from a forestomach by a 'washing mechanism' that selectively removes fines, including microbes, to the lower digestive tract. The evolution of this washing mechanism as part of the microbe farming niche opened the opportunity for the evolution of another mechanism that links teeth and guts in an innovative way-the sorting and cleaning of not-yet-sufficiently-size-reduced food that is then re-submitted to repeated mastication (rumination), leading to unprecedented chewing and digestive efficiency. This article is part of the theme issue 'Food processing and nutritional assimilation in animals'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Fritz
- Zugspitzstr. 15 1/2, 82131 Stockdorf, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hummel
- Ruminant Nutrition, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Clauss M, Codron D, Hummel J. Equid nutritional physiology and behavior: an evolutionary perspective. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 124:104265. [PMID: 36893821 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Like other members of the even-toed ungulates (the perissodactyls), equids once had a higher species diversity in the fossil record than they have today. This is generally explained in comparison to the enormous diversity of bovid ruminants. Theories on putative competitive disadvantages of equids include the use of a single toe as opposed to two toes per leg, the lack of a specific brain cooling (and hence water-saving) mechanism, longer gestation periods that delay reproductive output, and in particular digestive physiology. To date, there is no empirical support for the theory that equids fare better on low-quality forage than ruminants. In contrast to the traditional juxtaposition of hindgut and foregut fermenters, we suggest that it is more insightful to sketch the evolution of equid and ruminant digestive physiology as a case of convergence: both evolved a particularly high chewing efficacy in their respective groups, which facilitates comparatively high feed and hence energy intakes. But because the ruminant system, less based on tooth anatomy but more on a forestomach sorting mechanism, is more effective, equids depend more on high feed intakes than ruminants and may well be more susceptible to feed shortages. Arguably, the most under-emphasized characteristic of equids may be that in contrast to many other herbivores including ruminants and coprophageous hindgut fermenters, equids do not use the microbial biomass growing in their gastrointestinal tract. Equids display behavioral and morphophysiological adaptations to high feed intakes, and their cranial anatomy that facilitates the cropping of forage while performing grinding chewing at the same time might be unique. Rather than looking for explanations how equids are better adapted to their present niches than other organisms, considering them remnants of a different morphophysiological solution may be more appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich; 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Daryl Codron
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State; Bloemfontein, South Africa.
| | - Jürgen Hummel
- Ruminant Nutrition, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen; 37077 Goettingen, Germany.
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Pfau F, Clauss M, Hummel J. Is there a difference in ruminal fermentation control between cattle and sheep? A meta-analytical test of a hypothesis on differential particle and fluid retention. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 277:111370. [PMID: 36646308 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Ruminant species differ in digestive physiology. The species-specific ratio of mean retention time of particles and fluid (MRTparticle/MRTfluid) in the reticulorumen has been interpreted as controlling ruminal fermentation: a higher ratio indicates of a more distinct 'washing' of particulate digesta by liquid. This should increase the harvest of microbes from the reticulorumen, and keep the microbiome in a state of more intense growth; at the same time, this should increase the metabolic losses of faecal nitrogen of microbial origin, leading to lower values for the apparent digestibility of crude protein (aD CP). A systematic difference has been hypothesized between cattle (higher ratio) and sheep (lower ratio), with a lower MRTfluid in cattle due to a higher saliva production. Here, we test these hypotheses in a meta-analysis, using only studies that investigated cattle and sheep simultaneously. The datasets included 12 studies on MRT (of which 11 contained information on feed intake), yielding 102 (or 89) individual data; and 26 studies on protein digestibility (of which 18 contained information on intake), yielding 349 individual data. Cattle had a higher MRTparticle/MRTfluid (2.1) than sheep (1.7), mainly due to longer MRTparticle; only if body mass was included in the model, MRTfluid was significantly shorter in cattle in the larger MRT dataset (and tended to be shorter in the slightly smaller dataset). Cattle had a significantly lower aD CP than sheep, while there was no such difference in overall (dry or organic matter) digestibility. The dataset confirms a shift in fermentation strategy towards microbial production in cattle. While this has been suggested for ruminants in general, cattle appear particularly far on an evolutionary trajectory of maximizing microbial yield from the forestomach. The application of more specific digestive physiology data (like endogenous losses) gained from sheep to cattle should be done bearing these differences in mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Pfau
- Department of Animal Sciences, University Goettingen, Kellnerweg 6, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Hummel
- Department of Animal Sciences, University Goettingen, Kellnerweg 6, Göttingen, Germany.
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Schwarm A, Clauss M, Ortmann S, Jensen RB. No size-dependent net particle retention in the hindgut of horses. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2022; 106:1356-1363. [PMID: 35894118 PMCID: PMC9796864 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Sieve analyses of hindgut contents of horses as well as observations in horses where plastic markers had been applied to a caecal cannula suggested that there may be a discrimination by particle size in the passage or retention of digesta. Here, we performed a similar experiment with five caecum-cannulated horses (562 ± 31 kg) fed a constant amount (6.81 kg dry matter/day) of grass hay. Passage markers representing the liquid (Co-EDTA) as well as the particulate digesta phase (Yb-undefined; Cr mordanted fibre 1-2 mm; Ce-mordanted fibre 8 mm) were given as a pulse-dose into the cannula to measure their mean retention times (MRT). The MRTs were compared by repeated-measurements analysis of variance. The MRT in the hindgut was 22.2 ± 2.4 h for Co, 25.0 ± 3.4 h for Yb, 26.2 ± 1.6 h for Cr and 26.3 ± 1.5 h for Ce. Whereas differences between the particle marker MRTs were not significant (padj. > 0.05), significant differences were observed between the solute marker Co and each of the particle markers Cr and Ce (padj. < 0.009). The results confirm the well-known significant, albeit small, difference in MRT in horses between the fluid and the particle digesta phase, and corroborate another recent study that used a combination of whole, marked hay and individual marker analysis in different particle size fractions of the faeces, which also did not detect a selective retention of any particle size class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Schwarm
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural SciencesNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Rasmus B. Jensen
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural SciencesNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
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Steiner N, Clauss M, Martin LF, Imper C, Meloro C, Duque‐Correa MJ. No news from old drawings? Stomach anatomy in muroid rodents in relation to body size and ecology. J Morphol 2022; 283:1200-1209. [PMID: 35830587 PMCID: PMC9543737 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Muroid rodents mostly have a complex stomach: one part is lined with a cornified (nonglandular) epithelium, referred to as a "forestomach", whereas the rest is lined with glandular epithelium. Numerous functions for the forestomach have been proposed. We collated a catalog of anatomical depictions of the stomach of 174 muroid species from which the respective nonglandular and glandular areas could be digitally measured, yielding a "stomach ratio" (nonglandular:glandular area) as a scale-independent variable. Stomach ratios ranged from 0.13 to 20.15, and the coefficient of intraspecific variation if more than one picture was available for a species averaged at 29.7% (±21.5). We tested relationships of the ratio with body mass and various anatomical and ecological variables, including diet. There was a consistent phylogenetic signal, suggesting that closely related species share a similar anatomy. Apart from classifying stomachs into hemiglandular and discoglandular, no anatomical or ecological measure showed a consistent relationship to the stomach ratio. In particular, irrespective of statistical method or the source of dietary information, dietary proxies did not significantly correlate with the stomach ratio, except for a trend towards significance for invertivory (insectivory). Yet, even this relationship was not convincing: whereas highly insectivorous species had high but no low stomach ratios, herbivorous species had both low and high stomach ratios. Thus, the statistical effect is not due to a systematic increase in the relative forestomach size with invertivory. The most plausible hypotheses so far associate the muroid forestomach and its microbiome with a generic protective role against microbial or fungal toxins and diseases, without evident correlates of a peculiar need for this function under specific ecological conditions. Yet, this function remains to be confirmed. While providing a catalog of published depictions and hypotheses, this study highlights that the function of the muroid rodent forestomach remains enigmatic to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Steiner
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Louise F. Martin
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Corina Imper
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Carlo Meloro
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and PalaeoecologyLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Maria J. Duque‐Correa
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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Matsuda I. Following the trail of the elusive proboscis monkey in Borneo. Ecol Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ikki Matsuda
- Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences Kasugai‐shi Japan
- Chubu Institute for Advanced Studies, Chubu University Kasugai‐shi Japan
- Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS Kota Kinabalu Malaysia
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de Andrade GP, de Albuquerque PV, Tschá MDC, de Alcântara SF, de Miranda MELC, Nascimento JCDS, de Barros NFJ, Amorim MJAAL. Dietary neutral detergent fibre and lignin contents affect intake, digestibility and digesta retention in captive sloths (Bradypus variegatus). J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2022; 106:910-921. [PMID: 35468240 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated food intake, digestibility, digesta retention and digestible energy (DE) intake in four three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus, body mass 2.86 ± 0.10 kg) fed two leaf-based diets containing different neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and lignin contents. Total dry matter intake (DMI), and intake in relation to body mass and metabolic body weight were higher for the mixed diet with lower NDF content based on Pterondon sp. + Inga sp. (47 g day-1 , 16 g kg-1 day-1 and 21 g kg-0.75 day-1 ) compared to the treatment with higher content of NDF from only Cecropia pachystachya leaves (37 g day-1 , 14 g kg-1 day-1 and 18 g kg-0.75 day-1 ). The digestibility of dry matter (dDM) and neutral detergent fibre (dNDF) were higher in the mixed diet (60% and 61% respectively). There was a higher supply of DE and metabolisable energy (ME) on the mixed diet, at 221 and 199 kJ kg-0.75 day-1 , meeting the average energy requirement of 185 kJ ME kg-0.75 day-1 ME estimated for sloths in this study. In contrast, the diet with C. pachystachya generated a deficit of 31 kJ ME kg-0.75 day-1 . There was a correlation between DMI and dNDF (r2 = 0.89), and between dNDF and dDM (r2 = 0.98) across treatments. The mean retention times for a liquid and a particle marker were lower on the mixed diet with the higher intake at 133 h (passage rate = 0.75% h-1 ) and 181 h (0.55% h-1 ), and longer on the single-species diet with lower intake at 204 h (0.49% h-1 ) and 261 h (0.38% h-1 ). The results suggest that it may be beneficial for sloths to be offered a variety of browse from which they can choose low-NDF components. Further, we suggest that these sloths perform 'digesta washing' to increase the microbial yield in the stomach to maximise the digestion of NDF and dry matter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Marleyne José Afonso Accioly Lins Amorim
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.,Postgraduate in Animal Bioscience, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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Pfau F, Hünerberg M, Südekum KH, Breves G, Clauss M, Hummel J. Effects of Dilution Rate on Fermentation Characteristics of Feeds With Different Carbohydrate Composition Incubated in the Rumen Simulation Technique (RUSITEC). FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2021.715142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of carbohydrate source and fluid passage rate (dilution rate) on ruminal fermentation characteristics and microbial crude protein (MCP) formation. Three commonly used feeds (barley grain [BG], beet pulp [BP], and soybean hulls [SBH]), which differ considerably in their carbohydrate composition, were incubated together with a mixture of grass hay and rapeseed meal in two identical Rusitec apparatuses (each 6 vessels). Differences in fluid passage rate were simulated by infusing artificial saliva at two different rates (1.5% [low] and 3.0% [high] of fermenter volume per h). This resulted in six treatments (tested in 3 runs): BGhigh, BGlow, BPhigh, BPlow, SBHhigh and SBHlow. The system was adapted for 7 d, followed by 4 d of sampling. Production of MCP (mg/g degraded organic matter [dOM]; estimated by 15N analysis) was greater with high dilution rate (DL; p < 0.001) and was higher for SBH compared to both BG and BP (p < 0.001). High DL reduced OM degradability (OMD) compared to low DL (p < 0.001), whereas incubation of BG resulted in higher OMD compared to SBH (p < 0.002). Acetate:propionate ratio decreased in response to high DL (p < 0.001). Total gas and methane production (both /d and /g dOM) were lower with high DL (p < 0.001). In our study increasing liquid passage rate showed the potential to increase MCP and decrease methane production simultaneously. Results encourage further studies investigating these effects on the rumen microbial population.
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Findeisen E, Südekum K, Fritz J, Hummel J, Clauss M. Increasing food intake affects digesta retention, digestibility and gut fill but not chewing efficiency in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 335:614-622. [PMID: 34254468 PMCID: PMC8362112 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In ruminants, the level of food intake affects net chewing efficiency and hence faecal particle size. For nonruminants, corresponding data are lacking. Here, we report the effect of an increased food intake of a mixed diet in four domestic rabbit does due to lactation, and assess changes in particle size (as determined by wet sieving analysis) along the rabbit digestive tract. During lactation, rabbits achieved a distinctively higher dry matter intake than at maintenance, with a concomitant reduction in mean retention times of solute and particle markers, an increase in dry matter gut fill, a reduction in apparent digestibility of dry matter, and an overall increase in digestible dry matter intake. By contrast, there was no change in faecal mean particle size (mean ± SD: 0.58 ± 0.02 vs. 0.56 ± 0.01 mm). A comparison of diet, stomach content and faecal mean particle size suggested that 98% of particle size reduction occurred due to ingestive mastication and 2% due to digestive processes. Very fine particles passing the finest sieve, putatively not only of dietary but mainly of microbial origin, were particularly concentrated in caecum contents, which corresponds to retention of microbes via a 'wash-back' colonic separation mechanism, to concentrate them in caecotrophs that are re-ingested. This study gives rise to the hypothesis that chewing efficiency on a consistent diet is not impaired by intake level in nonruminant mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Findeisen
- Institute of Animal Science, Animal NutritionUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
- Present address:
Hostertsweg 18Grafschaft53501Germany
| | - Karl‐Heinz Südekum
- Institute of Animal Science, Animal NutritionUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
| | | | - Jürgen Hummel
- Ruminant Nutrition, Department of Animal SciencesUniversity of GoettingenGoettingenGermany
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic für Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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Heldstab SA, van Schaik CP, Müller DWH, Rensch E, Lackey LB, Zerbe P, Hatt JM, Clauss M, Matsuda I. Reproductive seasonality in primates: patterns, concepts and unsolved questions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:66-88. [PMID: 32964610 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Primates, like other mammals, exhibit an annual reproductive pattern that ranges from strictly seasonal breeding to giving birth in all months of the year, but factors mediating this variation are not fully understood. We applied both a categorical description and quantitative measures of the birth peak breadth based on daily observations in zoos to characterise reproductive seasonality in 141 primate species with an average of 941 birth events per species. Absolute day length at the beginning of the mating season in seasonally reproducing species was not correlated between populations from natural habitats and zoos. The mid-point of latitudinal range was a major factor associated with reproductive seasonality, indicating a correlation with photoperiod. Gestation length, annual mean temperature, natural diet and Malagasy origin were other important factors associated with reproductive seasonality. Birth seasons were shorter with increasing latitude of geographical origin, corresponding to the decreasing length of the favourable season. Species with longer gestation periods were less seasonal than species with shorter ones, possibly because shorter gestation periods more easily facilitate the synchronisation of reproductive activity with annual cycles. Habitat conditions with higher mean annual temperature were also linked to less-seasonal reproduction, independently of the latitude effect. Species with a high percentage of leaves in their natural diet were generally non-seasonal, potentially because the availability of mature leaves is comparatively independent of seasons. Malagasy primates were more seasonal in their births than species from other regions. This might be due to the low resting metabolism of Malagasy primates, the comparatively high degree of temporal predictability of Malagasy ecosystems, or historical constraints peculiar to Malagasy primates. Latitudinal range showed a weaker but also significant association with reproductive seasonality. Amongst species with seasonal reproduction in their natural habitats, smaller primate species were more likely than larger species to shift to non-seasonal breeding in captivity. The percentage of species that changed their breeding pattern in zoos was higher in primates (30%) than in previous studies on Carnivora and Ruminantia (13 and 10%, respectively), reflecting a higher concentration of primate species in the tropics. When comparing only species that showed seasonal reproduction in natural habitats at absolute latitudes ≤11.75°, primates did not differ significantly from these two other taxa in the proportion of species that changed to a less-seasonal pattern in zoos. However, in this latitude range, natural populations of primates and Carnivora had a significantly higher proportion of seasonally reproducing species than Ruminantia, suggesting that in spite of their generally more flexible diets, both primates and Carnivora are more exposed to resource fluctuation than ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra A Heldstab
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland.,Department of Anthropology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Carel P van Schaik
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dennis W H Müller
- Zoological Garden Halle (Saale), Fasanenstrasse 5a, 06114, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Eberhard Rensch
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Laurie Bingaman Lackey
- World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), Carrer de Roger de Llúria, 2, 2-2, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philipp Zerbe
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Michel Hatt
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ikki Matsuda
- Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences, 1200, Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai-shi, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan.,Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8203, Japan.,Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-0081, Japan.,Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
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Gindri M, Leite RF, Härter CJ, da Silva SP, St-Pierre N, Fernandes MHMDR, Berchielli TT, Teixeira IAMDA. Body weight and sex effects on digesta mean retention time in growing Saanen goats. Transl Anim Sci 2020; 4:txaa028. [PMID: 32705026 PMCID: PMC7284118 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txaa028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the important role of digesta mean retention time (MRT) on digestive efficiency of ruminants, it is poorly investigated in total gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of growing ruminants, especially in goats. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of body weight (BW) and sex on GIT MRT of particles and solutes in growing Saanen goats. A dataset from two studies, comprising 103 individual records of castrated males (n = 36), females (n = 34), and intact males (n = 33) Saanen goats slaughtered at 15, 22, 30, 37, and 45 kg BW, was used. Goats were fed basically with total mixed ration composed by dehydrated corn plant (Zea mays) milled to pass a 10-mm screen, cracked corn grain, and soybean (Glycine max) meal. Variables evaluated were BW, feed intake, feed intake level, composition of ingested diet, wet weight of GIT tissues, wet digesta pool size, digesta composition (dry matter and neutral detergent fiber [NDF]), indigestible NDF:NDF ratio of ingested diet and GIT digesta, MRT of particles (MRTiNDF) and solutes (MRTCr), and reticulorumen selectivity factors (large particles/solutes). Reticulorumen, omasum, abomasum, small intestine, cecum, and colon-rectum segments were evaluated. The dataset was analyzed as mixed models considering sex, BW, and sex × BW interaction as fixed effects, and study and residual error as random effects. Sex did not affect MRTiNDF in any GIT segments. Females and intact males presented similar reticulorumen MRTCr (5.6 h; P = 0.92) and they presented lower reticulorumen MRTCr than castrated males (7.0; P ≤ 0.04). Total GIT MRTCr was similar between castrated males and females (15.7 h; P = 0.11) and between females and intact males (14.2 h; P = 0.76). Body weight (BW) did not affect MRTiNDF in reticulorumen and colon-rectum and total GIT MRTCr (P ≥ 0.11). Reticulorumen and omasum MRTCr increased as BW increased (P < 0.01), and abomasum MRTCr decreased as BW increased (P = 0.02). Feed intake, and wet tissues and wet pool size of all GIT segments increased as BW increased, except abomasum wet pool size (P ≤ 0.01). The mechanism related to sex effect on MRT has to be elucidated. Reticulorumen MRTiNDF and total GIT MRTCr were modulated by intake and capacity of reticulorumen and GIT, respectively. On the other hand, reticulorumen MRTCr seemed to be regulated by reticulo-omasal orifice opening and saliva secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Gindri
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Carla Joice Härter
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Simone Pedro da Silva
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
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De Cuyper A, Meloro C, Abraham AJ, Müller DWH, Codron D, Janssens GPJ, Clauss M. The uneven weight distribution between predators and prey: Comparing gut fill between terrestrial herbivores and carnivores. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2020; 243:110683. [PMID: 32097716 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The general observation that secondary consumers ingest highly digestible food and have simple short guts and small abdominal cavities intuitively results in the assumption that mammalian carnivores carry less digesta in their gut compared to herbivores. Due to logistic constraints, this assumption has not been tested quantitatively so far. In this contribution, we estimated the dry matter gut contents (DMC) for 25 species of the order Carnivora (including two strictly herbivorous ones, the giant and the red panda) using the physical 'Occupancy Principle', based on a literature data collection on dry matter intake (DMI), apparent dry matter digestibility (aD DM) and retention time (RT), and compared the results to an existing collection for herbivores. Scaling exponents with body mass (BM) for both carnivores and herbivores were in the same range with DMI ~ BM0.75; aD DM ~ BM0; RT ~ BM0.11 and DMC ~ BM0.88. The trophic level (carnivore vs herbivore) significantly affected all digestive physiology parameters except for RT. Numerically, the carnivore DMI level reached 77%, the RT 32% and DMC only 29% of the corresponding herbivore values, whereas the herbivore aD DM only reached 82% of that of carnivores. Thus, we quantitatively show that carnivores carry less inert mass or gut content compared to herbivores, which putatively benefits them in predator-prey interactions and might have contributed to the evolution towards unguligradism in herbivores. As expected, the two panda species appeared as outliers in the dataset with low aD DM and RT for a herbivore but extremely high DMI values, resulting in DMC in the lower part of the herbivore range. Whereas the difference in DMI and DMC scaling in herbivores might allow larger herbivores to compensate for lower diet quality by ingesting more, this difference may allow larger carnivores not to go for less digestible prey parts, but mainly to increase meal intervals, i.e. not having to hunt on a daily basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies De Cuyper
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Carlo Meloro
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, England, UK
| | - Andrew J Abraham
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, USA
| | | | - Daryl Codron
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Geert P J Janssens
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Wang Y, Xu H, Sun G, Xue M, Sun S, Huang T, Zhou J, Loor JJ, Li M. Transcriptome Analysis of the Effects of Fasting Caecotrophy on Hepatic Lipid Metabolism in New Zealand Rabbits. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9090648. [PMID: 31484452 PMCID: PMC6769842 DOI: 10.3390/ani9090648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Caecotrophy in small herbivores, including rabbits, is the instinctive behavior of eating soft feces. Little is known about the impact of caecotrophy on growth and metabolism. In the present study, we used an Elizabeth circle to prevent rabbits from eating soft feces and measured changes in feed intake, body weight, internal organ weight, serum biochemical indices and liver lipid droplet accumulation. Liver tissue was also used for transcriptome sequencing. Results indicated that fasting caecotrophy decreased rabbit growth and lipid synthesis in the liver. Abstract In order to investigate the effects of fasting caecotrophy on hepatic lipid metabolism in rabbits, 12 weaned female New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into (n = 6/group) a control and fasting caecotrophy group. Rabbits in the experimental group were treated with an Elizabeth circle to prevent them from eating their own soft feces for a 60-day period. Growth and blood biochemical indices, transcriptome sequencing and histology analysis of the liver were performed. Compared with the control group, final weight, weight gain, liver weight, growth rate and feed conversion ratio, all decreased in the experimental group (p < 0.05). RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed a total of 301.2 million raw reads (approximately 45.06 Gb of high-quality clean data) that were mapped to the rabbit genome. After a five-step filtering process, 14,964 genes were identified, including 444 differentially expressed genes (p < 0.05, foldchange ≥ 1). A number of differently expressed genes linked to lipid metabolism were further analyzed including CYP7A1, SREBP, ABCA1, GPAM, CYP3A1, RBP4 and RDH5. The KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) annotation of the differentially expressed genes indicated that main pathways affected were pentose and glucuronide interactions, starch and sucrose metabolism, retinol metabolism and PPAR signaling. Overall, the present study revealed that preventing caecotrophy reduced growth and altered lipid metabolism, both of which will help guide the development of new approaches for rabbits’ feeding and production. These data also provide a reference for studying the effects of soft feces in other small herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Huifen Xu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Guirong Sun
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Mingming Xue
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Shuaijie Sun
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Tao Huang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Jianshe Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Juan J Loor
- Mammalian NutriPhysioGenomics, Department of Animal Sciences and Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Ming Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
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Matsuda I, Espinosa-Gómez FC, Ortmann S, Sha JC, Osman I, Nijboer J, Schwarm A, Ikeda T, Clauss M. Retention marker excretion suggests incomplete digesta mixing across the order primates. Physiol Behav 2019; 208:112558. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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15
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Idalan N, Martin LF, Clauss M. Physical characteristics of gastrointestinal content of llama (Lama glama). J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2019; 103:1015-1022. [PMID: 31050031 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Changes in digesta dry matter (DM) and mean digesta particle size (MPS) along the gastrointestinal tract are well known in ruminants, but not in camelids. We collected digesta from the dorsal (d) and ventral (v) first forestomach compartment (C1), the second forestomach compartment (C2), three proximal segments and the subsequent glandular part of the third compartment (C3A-D), the caecum and the faeces twelve llamas (Lama glama). DM analysis indicates the presence of digesta stratification in the C1, the presence of fluid in the C2 to facilitate the sorting function of this compartment, the fluid-absorbing function of the proximal parts of the C3, the secretion of enzymes and digestive acids in the C3D, and the water-resorbing function of the lower intestinal tract. These findings illustrate the functional resemblance between the gastrointestinal tract of camelids and cattle-like ruminants (C1 equivalent to the rumen with stratified contents, C2 to the reticulum, C3A/B/C to the omasum and C3D to the abomasum). MPS analysis revealed a progressive reduction in MPS from the C1 to the distal C3. This gradual transition is different from the clear-cut threshold in ruminants between the reticulum and the omasum and had so far only been described in dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius). These findings indicate that regardless of the convergent property of rumination and resemblance of general mechanisms involved in contents stratification and particle sorting, differences between ruminants and camelids exist that could be interpreted as a more efficient functionality of the ruminant forestomach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Idalan
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Louise F Martin
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Hristov AN, Bannink A, Crompton LA, Huhtanen P, Kreuzer M, McGee M, Nozière P, Reynolds CK, Bayat AR, Yáñez-Ruiz DR, Dijkstra J, Kebreab E, Schwarm A, Shingfield KJ, Yu Z. Invited review: Nitrogen in ruminant nutrition: A review of measurement techniques. J Dairy Sci 2019; 102:5811-5852. [PMID: 31030912 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-15829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen is a component of essential nutrients critical for the productivity of ruminants. If excreted in excess, N is also an important environmental pollutant contributing to acid deposition, eutrophication, human respiratory problems, and climate change. The complex microbial metabolic activity in the rumen and the effect on subsequent processes in the intestines and body tissues make the study of N metabolism in ruminants challenging compared with nonruminants. Therefore, using accurate and precise measurement techniques is imperative for obtaining reliable experimental results on N utilization by ruminants and evaluating the environmental impacts of N emission mitigation techniques. Changeover design experiments are as suitable as continuous ones for studying protein metabolism in ruminant animals, except when changes in body weight or carryover effects due to treatment are expected. Adaptation following a dietary change should be allowed for at least 2 (preferably 3) wk, and extended adaptation periods may be required if body pools can temporarily supply the nutrients studied. Dietary protein degradability in the rumen and intestines are feed characteristics determining the primary AA available to the host animal. They can be estimated using in situ, in vitro, or in vivo techniques with each having inherent advantages and disadvantages. Accurate, precise, and inexpensive laboratory assays for feed protein availability are still needed. Techniques used for direct determination of rumen microbial protein synthesis are laborious and expensive, and data variability can be unacceptably large; indirect approaches have not shown the level of accuracy required for widespread adoption. Techniques for studying postruminal digestion and absorption of nitrogenous compounds, urea recycling, and mammary AA metabolism are also laborious, expensive (especially the methods that use isotopes), and results can be variable, especially the methods based on measurements of digesta or blood flow. Volatile loss of N from feces and particularly urine can be substantial during collection, processing, and analysis of excreta, compromising the accuracy of measurements of total-tract N digestion and body N balance. In studying ruminant N metabolism, nutritionists should consider the longer term fate of manure N as well. Various techniques used to determine the effects of animal nutrition on total N, ammonia- or nitrous oxide-emitting potentials, as well as plant fertilizer value, of manure are available. Overall, methods to study ruminant N metabolism have been developed over 150 yr of animal nutrition research, but many of them are laborious and impractical for application on a large number of animals. The increasing environmental concerns associated with livestock production systems necessitate more accurate and reliable methods to determine manure N emissions in the context of feed composition and ruminant N metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Hristov
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
| | - A Bannink
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - L A Crompton
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Centre for Dairy Research, University of Reading, PO Box 237 Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, United Kingdom
| | - P Huhtanen
- Department of Agricultural Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-90, Umeå, Sweden
| | - M Kreuzer
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M McGee
- Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland C15 PW93
| | - P Nozière
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRA, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - C K Reynolds
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Centre for Dairy Research, University of Reading, PO Box 237 Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, United Kingdom
| | - A R Bayat
- Milk Production Solutions, Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), FI 31600 Jokioinen, Finland
| | - D R Yáñez-Ruiz
- Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC), Profesor Albareda, 1, 18008, Granada, Spain
| | - J Dijkstra
- Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - E Kebreab
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis 95616
| | - A Schwarm
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - K J Shingfield
- Milk Production Solutions, Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), FI 31600 Jokioinen, Finland; Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Z Yu
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210
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Ehrlich C, Codron D, Hofmann RR, Hummel J, Clauss M. Comparative omasum anatomy in ruminants: Relationships with natural diet, digestive physiology, and general considerations on allometric investigations. J Morphol 2019; 280:259-277. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Ehrlich
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Daryl Codron
- Florisbad Quaternary Research DepartmentNational Museum Bloemfontein South Africa
- Centre for Environmental ManagementUniversity of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa
| | | | - Jürgen Hummel
- Ruminant Nutrition, Department of Animal SciencesUniversity of Goettingen Goettingen Germany
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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18
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Gordon IJ, Prins HHT, Mallon J, Puk LD, Miranda EBP, Starling-Manne C, van der Wal R, Moore B, Foley W, Lush L, Maestri R, Matsuda I, Clauss M. The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing in Other Vertebrate Taxa. THE ECOLOGY OF BROWSING AND GRAZING II 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-25865-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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19
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De Cuyper A, Clauss M, Hesta M, Cools A, Bosch G, Hendriks WH, Janssens GPJ. Are carnivore digestive separation mechanisms revealed on structure-rich diets?: Faecal inconsistency in dogs (Canis familiaris) fed day old chicks. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192741. [PMID: 29432482 PMCID: PMC5809083 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pronounced variations in faecal consistency have been described anecdotally for some carnivore species fed a structure-rich diet. Typically two faecal consistencies are distinguished, namely hard and firm versus liquid and viscous faeces. It is possible that a separation mechanism is operating in the carnivore digestive tract, as in many herbivore species. Six beagle dogs were fed two experimental diets in a cross-over design of 7 days. Test diets consisted of chunked day old chicks differing only in particle size (fine = 7.8 mm vs coarse = 13 mm) in order to vary dietary structure. Digestive retention time was measured using titanium oxide (TiO2) as marker. The total faecal output was scored for consistency and faecal fermentation profiles were evaluated through faecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) and ammonia (NH3) analyses. A total of 181 faecal samples were collected. Dietary particle size did not affect faecal consistency, fermentative end products nor mean retention time (MRT). However, a faecal consistency dichotomy was observed with firm faeces (score 2-2.5) and soft faeces (score 4-4.5) being the most frequently occurring consistencies in an almost alternating pattern in every single dog. Firm and soft faeces differed distinctively in fermentative profiles. Although the structure difference between diets did not affect the faecal dichotomy, feeding whole prey provoked the occurrence of the latter which raises suspicion of a digestive separation mechanism in the canine digestive tract. Further faecal characterisation is however required in order to unravel the underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies De Cuyper
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Myriam Hesta
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - An Cools
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Guido Bosch
- Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter H. Hendriks
- Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Geert P. J. Janssens
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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20
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Espinosa-Gómez FC, Serio-Silva JC, Santiago-García JD, Sandoval-Castro CA, Hernández-Salazar LT, Mejía-Varas F, Ojeda-Chávez J, Chapman CA. Salivary tannin-binding proteins are a pervasive strategy used by the folivorous/frugivorous black howler monkey. Am J Primatol 2018; 80. [PMID: 29363818 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Dietary tannins can affect protein digestion and absorption, be toxic, and influence food selection by being astringent and bitter tasting. Animals that usually ingest tannins may regularly secrete tannin-binding salivary proteins (TBSPs) to counteract the negative effects of tannins or TBSPs production can be induced by a tannin-rich diet. In the wild, many primates regularly eat a diet that contains tannin-rich leaves and unripe fruit and it has been speculated that they have the physiological ability to cope with dietary tannins; however, details of their strategy remains unclear. Our research details the salivary protein composition of wild and zoo-living black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) feeding on natural versus manufactured low-tannin diets, and examines differences in TBSPs, mainly proline-rich proteins (PRPs), to determine whether production of these proteins is dependent on the tannin content of their food. We measured the pH, flow rate, and concentration of total protein and trichloroacetic acid soluble proteins (an index of PRPs) in saliva. Howler monkeys produced slightly alkaline saliva that may aid in the binding interaction between tannin and salivary proteins. We used gel electrophoresis to describe the salivary protein profile and this analysis along with a tannin-binding assay allowed us to detect several TBSPs in all individuals. We found no differences in the characteristics of saliva between wild and zoo-living monkeys. Our results suggest that black howler monkeys always secrete TBSPs even when fed on foods low in tannins. This strategy of constantly using this salivary anti-tannin defense enables them to obtain nutrients from plants that sometimes contain high levels of tannins and may help immediately to overcome the astringent sensation of their food allowing howler monkeys to eat tanniferous plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Carolina Espinosa-Gómez
- McGill School of Environment and Department of Anthropology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología AC, Xalapa, México
| | | | | | | | | | - Fernando Mejía-Varas
- Departamento de Servicios Veterinarios, Zoológico de Zacango, Estado de México, México
| | - Javier Ojeda-Chávez
- Dirección General de Zoológicos y Vida Silvestre, Zoológico de Chapultepec, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Colin Austin Chapman
- McGill School of Environment and Department of Anthropology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York.,Section of Social Systems Evolution, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Hummel J, Scheurich F, Ortmann S, Crompton LA, Gerken M, Clauss M. Comparative selective retention of particle size classes in the gastrointestinal tract of ponies and goats. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2017; 102:429-439. [PMID: 28696048 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
There is a discrepancy in the literature on potential digesta separation mechanisms in horses, with both a selective retention of fine and of large particles postulated in different publications. To assess the net effect of such mechanisms, we fed ponies on a hay-only diet a pulse dose of whole (unchopped) marked hay together with a solute marker, collected faeces on a regular basis, measured marker concentrations in whole faeces and in their large (2.0-16 mm), medium (0.5-1.0 mm) and small (0.063-0.25 mm) particle fraction, and calculated the corresponding mean retention times (MRTs). For comparison, the same experiment was performed in goats. In goats, as expected, MRTsolute (35 hr) was significantly shorter than MRTparticle (51 hr); only a very small fraction of particle marker was excreted as large particles (2%); and the MRT of these large particles was significantly shorter than that of small particles (with a relevant difference of 8.6 hr), indicating that those few large particles that escape the rumen do so mostly soon after ingestion. In ponies, MRTsolute (24 hr) did not differ from MRTparticle (24 hr); a higher fraction of particle marker was excreted as large particles (5%); and the MRT of these large particles was longer than that of small particles (but with a non-relevant difference of less than 1 hr). These results indicate that no relevant net separation of digesta phases occurs in horses and that selective particle retention mechanisms in the large intestine are unlikely to represent important characteristics of the horse's digestive physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Hummel
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - F Scheurich
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - S Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - L A Crompton
- Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Research Division, Centre for Dairy Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - M Gerken
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - M Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Richard OK, Codron D, Hagen KB, Südekum KH, Clauss M. Little differences in digestive efficiency for protein and fat in mammals of different trophic guilds and digestive strategies: data constraints or fundamental functional similarity? J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- O. K. Richard
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - D. Codron
- Florisbad Quaternary Research; National Museum; Bloemfontein South Africa
- Centre for Environmental Management; University of the Free State; Bloemfontein South Africa, and
| | - K. B. Hagen
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
- Zoological Garden of Halle; Halle Germany
| | - K.-H. Südekum
- Institute of Animal Science; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | - M. Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
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Borges RM, Mendes A, Nogueira SSC, Bindelle J, Nogueira-Filho SLG. Protein requirements of collared peccary (Pecari tajacu). Trop Anim Health Prod 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11250-017-1333-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Matsuda I, Chapman CA, Shi Physilia CY, Mun Sha JC, Clauss M. Primate Resting Postures: Constraints by Foregut Fermentation? Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:383-391. [DOI: 10.1086/691360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Retention of solute and particle markers in the digestive tract of captive Somali wild asses (Equus africanus somaliensis). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-017-1098-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Frei S, Ortmann S, Kreuzer M, Hatt JM, Clauss M. Digesta retention patterns in geese (Anser anser) and turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) and deduced function of avian caeca. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2017; 204:219-227. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Clauss M, Stewart M, Price E, Peilon A, Savage T, Van Ekris I, Munn A. The effect of feed intake on digesta passage, digestive organ fill and mass, and digesta dry matter content in sheep (Ovis aries): Flexibility in digestion but not in water reabsorption. Small Rumin Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2016.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Ganzhorn JU, Arrigo-Nelson SJ, Carrai V, Chalise MK, Donati G, Droescher I, Eppley TM, Irwin MT, Koch F, Koenig A, Kowalewski MM, Mowry CB, Patel ER, Pichon C, Ralison J, Reisdorff C, Simmen B, Stalenberg E, Starrs D, Terboven J, Wright PC, Foley WJ. The importance of protein in leaf selection of folivorous primates. Am J Primatol 2016; 79:1-13. [PMID: 27094926 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Protein limitation has been considered a key factor in hypotheses on the evolution of life history and animal communities, suggesting that animals should prioritize protein in their food choice. This contrasts with the limited support that food selection studies have provided for such a priority in nonhuman primates, particularly for folivores. Here, we suggest that this discrepancy can be resolved if folivores only need to select for high protein leaves when average protein concentration in the habitat is low. To test the prediction, we applied meta-analyses to analyze published and unpublished results of food selection for protein and fiber concentrations from 24 studies (some with multiple species) of folivorous primates. To counter potential methodological flaws, we differentiated between methods analyzing total nitrogen and soluble protein concentrations. We used a meta-analysis to test for the effect of protein on food selection by primates and found a significant effect of soluble protein concentrations, but a non-significant effect for total nitrogen. Furthermore, selection for soluble protein was reinforced in forests where protein was less available. Selection for low fiber content was significant but unrelated to the fiber concentrations in representative leaf samples of a given forest. There was no relationship (either negative or positive) between the concentration of protein and fiber in the food or in representative samples of leaves. Overall our study suggests that protein selection is influenced by the protein availability in the environment, explaining the sometimes contradictory results in previous studies on protein selection. Am. J. Primatol. 79:e22550, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joerg U Ganzhorn
- Animal Ecology and Conservation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Summer J Arrigo-Nelson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, California University of Pennsylvania, California, Pennsylvania
| | - Valentina Carrai
- Department of Biology, Zoology and Anthropology Unit, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mukesh K Chalise
- Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal
| | - Giuseppe Donati
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, OX3 0BP, Oxford, UK
| | - Iris Droescher
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Timothy M Eppley
- Animal Ecology and Conservation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mitchell T Irwin
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois
| | - Flávia Koch
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Koenig
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, and Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Martin M Kowalewski
- Estación Biológica Corrientes, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales BR, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Corrientes, Argentina
| | | | | | - Claire Pichon
- Département Hommes, Natures, Sociétés, CNRS/MNHN, UMR 7206, Brunoy, France
| | - Jose Ralison
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Groupe d'Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Bruno Simmen
- Département Hommes, Natures, Sociétés, CNRS/MNHN, UMR 7206, Brunoy, France
| | - Eleanor Stalenberg
- Research School of Biology: Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Danswell Starrs
- Research School of Biology: Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Juana Terboven
- Animal Ecology and Conservation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patricia C Wright
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, and Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - William J Foley
- Research School of Biology: Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Methane production by two non-ruminant foregut-fermenting herbivores: The collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu ) and the pygmy hippopotamus ( Hexaprotodon liberiensis ). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2016; 191:107-114. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Dudley JP, Hang'Ombe BM, Leendertz FH, Dorward LJ, Castro J, Subalusky AL, Clauss M. Carnivory in the common hippopotamus
H
ippopotamus amphibius
: implications for the ecology and epidemiology of anthrax in
A
frican landscapes. Mamm Rev 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P. Dudley
- Leidos Inc. 20201 Century Boulevard Germantown MD 20874 USA
- Institute of Arctic Biology University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK 99775‐7000 USA
| | | | | | | | - Julio Castro
- Departamento de Colonia Zorrilla 348 Carmelo Uruguay
| | - Amanda L. Subalusky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University 165 Prospect St. New Haven CT 06511 USA
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals Exotic Pets and Wildlife Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich Winterthurerstr. 260 8057 Zurich Switzerland
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Vendl C, Clauss M, Stewart M, Leggett K, Hummel J, Kreuzer M, Munn A. Decreasing methane yield with increasing food intake keeps daily methane emissions constant in two foregut fermenting marsupials, the western grey kangaroo and red kangaroo. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:3425-34. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.128165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Fundamental differences in methane (CH4) production between macropods (kangaroos) and ruminants have been suggested and linked to differences in the composition of the forestomach microbiome. Using six western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) and four red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), we measured daily absolute CH4 production in vivo as well as CH4 yield (CH4 per unit of intake of dry matter, gross energy or digestible fibre) by open-circuit respirometry. Two food intake levels were tested using a chopped lucerne hay (alfalfa) diet. Body mass-specific absolute CH4 production resembled values previously reported in wallabies and non-ruminant herbivores such as horses, and did not differ with food intake level, although there was no concomitant proportionate decrease in fibre digestibility with higher food intake. In contrast, CH4 yield decreased with increasing intake, and was intermediate between values reported for ruminants and non-ruminant herbivores. These results correspond to those in ruminants and other non-ruminant species where increased intake (and hence a shorter digesta retention in the gut) leads to a lower CH4 yield. We hypothesize that rather than harbouring a fundamentally different microbiome in their foregut, the microbiome of macropods is in a particular metabolic state more tuned towards growth (i.e. biomass production) rather than CH4 production. This is due to the short digesta retention time in macropods and the known distinct ‘digesta washing’ in the gut of macropods, where fluids move faster than particles and hence most likely wash out microbes from the forestomach. Although our data suggest that kangaroos only produce about 27% of the body mass-specific volume of CH4 of ruminants, it remains to be modelled with species-specific growth rates and production conditions whether or not significantly lower CH4 amounts are emitted per kg of meat in kangaroo than in beef or mutton production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catharina Vendl
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mathew Stewart
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Keith Leggett
- Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research Station, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Fowlers Gap, Broken Hill, NSW 2880, Australia
| | - Jürgen Hummel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Ruminant Nutrition, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Kreuzer
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Adam Munn
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research Station, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Fowlers Gap, Broken Hill, NSW 2880, Australia
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Excretion patterns of solute and different-sized particle passage markers in foregut-fermenting proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) do not indicate an adaptation for rumination. Physiol Behav 2015; 149:45-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 05/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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33
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Dittmann MT, Hummel J, Hammer S, Arif A, Hebel C, Müller DW, Fritz J, Steuer P, Schwarm A, Kreuzer M, Clauss M. Digesta kinetics in gazelles in comparison to other ruminants: Evidence for taxon-specific rumen fluid throughput to adjust digesta washing to the natural diet. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2015; 185:58-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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34
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Vendl C, Frei S, Dittmann MT, Furrer S, Osmann C, Ortmann S, Munn A, Kreuzer M, Clauss M. Digestive physiology, metabolism and methane production of captive Linné's two-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus
). J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2015; 100:552-64. [DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Vendl
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - S. Frei
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - M. T. Dittmann
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
- ETH Zurich; Institute of Agricultural Sciences; Zurich Switzerland
| | | | | | - S. Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW); Berlin Germany
| | - A. Munn
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Wollongong; Wollongong NSW Australia
| | - M. Kreuzer
- ETH Zurich; Institute of Agricultural Sciences; Zurich Switzerland
| | - M. Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
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Methane emission, digestive characteristics and faecal archaeol in heifers fed diets based on silage from brown midrib maize as compared to conventional maize. Arch Anim Nutr 2015; 69:159-76. [DOI: 10.1080/1745039x.2015.1043211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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36
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Digesta retention patterns of solute and different-sized particles in camelids compared with ruminants and other foregut fermenters. J Comp Physiol B 2015; 185:559-73. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-015-0904-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Revised: 04/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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37
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Hagen KB, Tschudin A, Liesegang A, Hatt JM, Clauss M. Organic matter and macromineral digestibility in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus
) as compared to other hindgut fermenters. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2015; 99:1197-209. [DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. B. Hagen
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - A. Tschudin
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - A. Liesegang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - J.-M. Hatt
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - M. Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
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Clauss M, Steuer P, Erlinghagen-Lückerath K, Kaandorp J, Fritz J, Südekum KH, Hummel J. Faecal particle size: Digestive physiology meets herbivore diversity. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2015; 179:182-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2014.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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39
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Laakkonen J, Kankaanpää T, Corfe IJ, Jernvall J, Soveri T, Keovichit K, Hugot JP. Gastrointestinal and Dental Morphology of Herbivorous Mammals: Where does the Laotian Rock Rat Fit? ANN ZOOL FENN 2014. [DOI: 10.5735/086.051.0216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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40
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Clauss M, Rössner GE. Old World Ruminant Morphophysiology, Life History, and Fossil Record: Exploring Key Innovations of a Diversification Sequence. ANN ZOOL FENN 2014. [DOI: 10.5735/086.051.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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41
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Faecal particle size in free-ranging primates supports a ‘rumination’ strategy in the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus). Oecologia 2014; 174:1127-37. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2863-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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42
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Schwarm A, Ortmann S, Fritz J, Flach E, Rietschel W, Clauss M. No distinct stratification of ingesta particles and no distinct moisture gradient in the fore-stomach of non-ruminants: The wallaby, peccary, hippopotamus, and sloth. Mamm Biol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2013.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Clauss M, Steuer P, Müller DWH, Codron D, Hummel J. Herbivory and body size: allometries of diet quality and gastrointestinal physiology, and implications for herbivore ecology and dinosaur gigantism. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68714. [PMID: 24204552 PMCID: PMC3812987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Digestive physiology has played a prominent role in explanations for terrestrial herbivore body size evolution and size-driven diversification and niche differentiation. This is based on the association of increasing body mass (BM) with diets of lower quality, and with putative mechanisms by which a higher BM could translate into a higher digestive efficiency. Such concepts, however, often do not match empirical data. Here, we review concepts and data on terrestrial herbivore BM, diet quality, digestive physiology and metabolism, and in doing so give examples for problems in using allometric analyses and extrapolations. A digestive advantage of larger BM is not corroborated by conceptual or empirical approaches. We suggest that explanatory models should shift from physiological to ecological scenarios based on the association of forage quality and biomass availability, and the association between BM and feeding selectivity. These associations mostly (but not exclusively) allow large herbivores to use low quality forage only, whereas they allow small herbivores the use of any forage they can physically manage. Examples of small herbivores able to subsist on lower quality diets are rare but exist. We speculate that this could be explained by evolutionary adaptations to the ecological opportunity of selective feeding in smaller animals, rather than by a physiologic or metabolic necessity linked to BM. For gigantic herbivores such as sauropod dinosaurs, other factors than digestive physiology appear more promising candidates to explain evolutionary drives towards extreme BM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Patrick Steuer
- Institute of Animal Science, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Daryl Codron
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Florisbad Quaternary Research, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Jürgen Hummel
- Institute of Animal Science, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Ruminant Nutrition, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Espinosa-Gómez F, Gómez-Rosales S, Wallis IR, Canales-Espinosa D, Hernández-Salazar L. Digestive strategies and food choice in mantled howler monkeys Alouatta palliata mexicana: bases of their dietary flexibility. J Comp Physiol B 2013; 183:1089-100. [PMID: 23743799 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-013-0769-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2013] [Revised: 05/07/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) occupy a wide variety of tropical habitats and are the most folivorous of New World primates. However, their diet may include fruits, buds, petioles, and flowers, as well as leaves, suggesting they must cope with variations in the nutrient composition of their food. We studied the physiological basis of the dietary flexibility of these monkeys by comparing food choice, digestive performance and patterns of digesta flow in six adults, fed diets of either leaves or a mixture of fruit and leaves. Although monkeys ate similar amounts of the two diets, they ingested more digestible protein when offered the leaf diet, on which they lost body mass, but they ingested much more soluble sugars when offered fruit and leaves on which they gained mass. Digestibilities of dry matter, fat, energy and fibre did not differ between diets, but those of crude protein, soluble sugars and minerals were higher on the fruit-leaf diet. Mean retention times in the gut of solute (Co-EDTA) and particulate markers (Cr-mordanted cell walls) did not differ between diets, but on both diets the monkeys retained the particulate marker (mean retention time ca 55 h) for longer than they did the solute marker (MRT ca 50 h). A lack of selective retention of solutes and small particles in the gastro-intestinal tract of howler monkeys probably restricts them to mixed diets but their digestive strategy is sufficiently flexible to allow them to feed on a diet of leaves when fruit is unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Espinosa-Gómez
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Dr. Luis Castelazo s/n Col. Industrial Animas, Xalapa, Veracruz, C.P. 91160, Mexico
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Clauss M, Dittmann MT, Müller DWH, Meloro C, Codron D. Bergmann′s rule in mammals: a cross-species interspecific pattern. OIKOS 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00463.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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46
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Clauss M, Schiele K, Ortmann S, Fritz J, Codron D, Hummel J, Kienzle E. The effect of very low food intake on digestive physiology and forage digestibility in horses. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2013; 98:107-18. [DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals; Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - K. Schiele
- Institute of Physiology; Physiological Chemistry and Animal Nutrition; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Munich Germany
| | - S. Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW); Berlin Gemany
| | - J. Fritz
- Institute of Physiology; Physiological Chemistry and Animal Nutrition; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Munich Germany
| | - D. Codron
- Clinic for Zoo Animals; Exotic Pets and Wildlife; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - J. Hummel
- Ruminant Nutrition; Department of Animal Sciences; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - E. Kienzle
- Institute of Physiology; Physiological Chemistry and Animal Nutrition; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Munich Germany
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47
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Lauper M, Lechner I, Barboza PS, Collins WB, Hummel J, Codron D, Clauss M. Rumination of different-sized particles in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and moose (Alces alces) on grass and browse diets, and implications for rumination in different ruminant feeding types. Mamm Biol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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48
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Sawada A, Sakaguchi E, Clauss M, Hanya G. A pilot study on the ontogeny of digestive physiology in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Mamm Biol 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2012.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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49
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Luna R, Duarte A, Weckerly F. Rumen–reticulum characteristics, scaling relationships, and ontogeny in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2012-0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Scaling relationships between body mass and gut capacity are valuable to predicting digestive efficiency. Interspecific scaling relationships between body mass and gut capacity have consistently estimated a slope of 1.0; however, intraspecific scaling relationships between body mass and gut capacity have been highly variable. We examined the influence of demands of growth and production on scaling relationships of body mass and rumen–reticulum characteristics in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) because little is known about how juvenile and subadult ruminants accommodate increased digesta masses. We sampled 108 animals over a 2-year period and assessed the influence of body mass, time of kill, crude protein (%), and acid detergent fiber (%) in the rumen, lactation, sex, and back fat on rumen–reticulum organ mass, rumen–reticulum capacity, wet mass of the digesta, and the dry mass of the digesta. Juvenile and subadult white-tailed deer had rumen–reticulum organ masses, capacity, and digesta masses that were similar to adults because body mass and rumen–reticulum scaling relationships all had scalars similar to 1.0. Thus, under the confines of our study, ontogeny plays only a minor role in the physiological characteristics of the rumen–reticulum and the scaling relationships of body mass and rumen–reticulum capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- R.S. Luna
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - A. Duarte
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - F.W. Weckerly
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
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50
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Müller DWH, Codron D, Meloro C, Munn A, Schwarm A, Hummel J, Clauss M. Assessing the Jarman-Bell Principle: Scaling of intake, digestibility, retention time and gut fill with body mass in mammalian herbivores. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2012; 164:129-40. [PMID: 23047052 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2012] [Revised: 09/26/2012] [Accepted: 09/28/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Differences in allometric scaling of physiological characters have the appeal to explain species diversification and niche differentiation along a body mass (BM) gradient - because they lead to different combinations of physiological properties, and thus may facilitate different adaptive strategies. An important argument in physiological ecology is built on the allometries of gut fill (assumed to scale to BM(1.0)) and energy requirements/intake (assumed to scale to BM(0.75)) in mammalian herbivores. From the difference in exponents, it has been postulated that the mean retention time (MRT) of digesta should scale to BM(1.0-0.75)=BM(0.25). This has been used to argue that larger animals have an advantage in digestive efficiency and hence can tolerate lower-quality diets. However, empirical data does not support the BM(0.25) scaling of MRT, and the deduction of MRT scaling implies, according to physical principles, no scaling of digestibility; basing assumptions on digestive efficiency on the thus-derived MRT scaling amounts to circular reasoning. An alternative explanation considers a higher scaling exponent for food intake than for metabolism, allowing larger animals to eat more of a lower quality food without having to increase digestive efficiency; to date, this concept has only been explored in ruminants. Here, using data for 77 species in which intake, digestibility and MRT were measured (allowing the calculation of the dry matter gut contents (DMC)), we show that the unexpected shallow scaling of MRT is common in herbivores and may result from deviations of other scaling exponents from expectations. Notably, DMC have a lower scaling exponent than 1.0, and the 95% confidence intervals of the scaling exponents for intake and DMC generally overlap. Differences in the scaling of wet gut contents and dry matter gut contents confirm a previous finding that the dry matter concentration of gut contents decreases with body mass, possibly compensating for the less favorable volume-surface ratio in the guts of larger organisms. These findings suggest that traditional explanations for herbivore niche differentiation along a BM gradient should not be based on allometries of digestive physiology. In contrast, they support the recent interpretation that larger species can tolerate lower-quality diets because their intake has a higher allometric scaling than their basal metabolism, allowing them to eat relatively more of a lower quality food without having to increase digestive efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis W H Müller
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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