Explain the primary nutritional problem faced by herbivores, and describe common adaptations of the digestive tract that enable them to overcome these nutritional challenges.
What will be an ideal response?
Ans: Plants often contain large amounts of indigestible material (e.g. cellulose) and so are generally low in nutritional content, especially protein, compared to the herbivore. To overcome this problem, herbivores must eat large quantities of food, and have enlarged guts that enable them to retain the food for longer, permitting more thorough digestion. Also, herbivores often have commensal microbes that partially digest the plant material, often releasing nutrients and vitamins that can be absorbed and used by the herbivore.
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Indicate whether the statement is true or false
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