Textbook Question
Explain why insulin injections are more effective in controlling the blood glucose level in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus than in those with type 2 diabetes.
Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life13
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life14
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function10
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells11
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation11
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis12
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions12
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle8
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis12
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene23
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair15
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work16
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria16
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes12
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers15
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution12
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection16
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea15
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes16
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants16
- Ch. 29 - Fungi18
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals15
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals17
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function17
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology15
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology17
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology18
Chapter 41, Problem 11a
Minnows are mainly carnivorous, eating insects and other small animals. However, herbivory has evolved independently in minnows several times.
What changes in digestive structure and function are associated with the evolution of herbivory?
Like cichlids, minnows use their pharyngeal jaws to process food. Suggest some possible structural differences between the teeth on the pharyngeal jaws of carnivorous and herbivorous minnows.
Verified step by step guidance1
Begin by understanding the dietary needs of herbivorous versus carnivorous minnows. Herbivorous minnows require adaptations to digest plant material, which is often tougher and more fibrous than animal matter.
Consider the digestive tract length. Herbivorous fish typically have longer intestines to allow more time for the breakdown and absorption of plant materials, which are harder to digest than animal proteins.
Examine the role of pharyngeal jaws. These are specialized structures in the throat that help in processing food. In herbivorous minnows, the teeth on these jaws might be flatter and broader to grind plant material, whereas carnivorous minnows might have sharper teeth for tearing flesh.
Think about enzyme production. Herbivorous minnows may produce more cellulase or other enzymes that help break down cellulose, a major component of plant cell walls, whereas carnivorous minnows would produce enzymes that break down proteins and fats.
Consider the presence of symbiotic gut flora. Herbivorous minnows might have a more complex microbiome that aids in the digestion of plant material, similar to other herbivorous animals, whereas carnivorous minnows might have a simpler gut flora focused on protein digestion.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Evolution of Herbivory
Herbivory in minnows involves adaptations that allow them to digest plant material efficiently. This evolutionary change often requires modifications in digestive enzymes and gut morphology to break down cellulose and other plant components. Understanding these adaptations helps explain how minnows can shift from a carnivorous to a herbivorous diet.
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2) Exploitation (+/-): Herbivory
Pharyngeal Jaws
Pharyngeal jaws are specialized structures located in the throat of some fish, including minnows, used for processing food. These jaws can vary significantly between species, especially between carnivorous and herbivorous fish, with differences in tooth shape and arrangement to accommodate different diets. Herbivorous minnows may have flatter, broader teeth for grinding plant material.
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Digestive Structure and Function
The digestive system of herbivorous minnows is adapted to process plant material, which is typically harder to digest than animal matter. These adaptations may include a longer gut for increased digestion time and specialized enzymes to break down cellulose. Structural changes in the digestive tract are crucial for efficient nutrient absorption from a plant-based diet.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
When food is plentiful, animals tend to store most of what they eat as fat. Why is this?
Textbook Question
Among vertebrates, the large intestine exists only in lineages that are primarily terrestrial (amphibians, reptiles, and mammals). Propose a hypothesis to explain this observation.
Textbook Question
Minnows are mainly carnivorous, eating insects and other small animals. However, herbivory has evolved independently in minnows several times.
What changes in digestive structure and function are associated with the evolution of herbivory?
Which of the following is true of the digestive tracts of minnows?
a. They are incomplete but have both a mouth and an anus.
b. They are complete, facilitating compartmentalization of digestion in different organs.
c. They are incomplete, with no accessory organs.
d. They are complete and include a large gastrovascular cavity.
Textbook Question
Minnows are mainly carnivorous, eating insects and other small animals. However, herbivory has evolved independently in minnows several times.
What changes in digestive structure and function are associated with the evolution of herbivory?
Researchers compared the relative gut length—the length of the digestive tract divided by body length—in four species of herbivorous minnows and four species of carnivorous minnows. The results are shown in the graph provided here. Based on these data, what conclusion can you draw about the relationship between diet and gut length?
Textbook Question
Minnows are mainly carnivorous, eating insects and other small animals. However, herbivory has evolved independently in minnows several times.
What changes in digestive structure and function are associated with the evolution of herbivory?
Suggest a function of the difference in relative gut lengths of herbivorous and carnivorous minnows.