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For all animals, some amino acids are essential (an animal cannot produce them internally) and some are non-essential (the animal can produce them from other nitrogen-containing compounds). A diet that contains adequate amounts of amino acids (especially those that are essential) is particularly important in some situations: during early ...
These are subdivided into two groups based on the relative size of various digestive organs in relationship to the rest of the system: colonic fermenters tend to be larger species such as horses and rhinos, and cecal fermenters are smaller animals such as rabbits and rodents. [4]
Herbivores are animals that eat plants, carnivores are animals that eat other animals, and omnivores are animals that eat both plants and other animals. [24] Many herbivores rely on bacterial fermentation to create digestible nutrients from indigestible plant cellulose, while obligate carnivores must eat animal meats to obtain certain vitamins ...
Circular dendrogram of feeding behaviours A mosquito drinking blood (hematophagy) from a human (note the droplet of plasma being expelled as a waste) A rosy boa eating a mouse whole A red kangaroo eating grass The robberfly is an insectivore, shown here having grabbed a leaf beetle An American robin eating a worm Hummingbirds primarily drink nectar A krill filter feeding A Myrmicaria brunnea ...
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for good health but cannot synthesize them. [18] Only two fatty acids are known to be essential for humans: alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid ) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid ).
Many plants and animals have coevolved in such a way that the fruit is a good source of nutrition to the animal who then excretes the seeds some distance away, allowing greater dispersal. [59] Even seed predation can be mutually beneficial, as some seeds can survive the digestion process.
Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells to provide energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth.
Diverse ions are used by animals and microorganisms for the process of mineralizing structures, called biomineralization, used to construct bones, seashells, eggshells, [52] exoskeletons and mollusc shells. [53] [citation needed] Minerals can be bioengineered by bacteria which act on metals to catalyze mineral dissolution and precipitation. [54]