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Free course

Studying mammals: Plant predators

Free statement of participation on completion
Studying mammals: Plant predators

From the mouse-deer to the elephant, plant eaters come in all shapes and sizes. But how do they manage to flourish on a salad diet? In this free course, Studying mammals: Plant predators, we will examine the special features that allow them to extract their nutrients from leaves, and see how some plants protect themselves from these predators. This is the fourth course in the Studying mammals series.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

  • describe the particular problems in digesting plant material
  • give examples of the ways in which teeth are modified for a herbivorous diet
  • explain the importance of digestive enzymes
  • explain the importance of microbes in digesting plant material
  • compare the main features of the digestive systems of ruminants and hindgut fermenters.

First Published: 09/08/2012

Updated: 16/03/2016

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