Eucalyptus Digestibility and Digestible Energy Requirements of Adult Male Koalas, Phascolarctos Cinereus (Marsupialia).

Ullrey, D. E.; Robinson, PT; Whetter, PA

doi:10.1071/zo9810847

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“… Relationship between forage neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content and voluntary dry matter intake (DMI) in (a) macropods (Munn et al. 2008), (b) hindgut fermenting marsupials (Ullrey et al. 1981, Cork et al.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, other physical properties might be important. For example, experience from captive animals indicates that forages usually accepted by grazers are less accepted by browsing species (Clauss & Dierenfeld 2008, (Ullrey et al 1981, Cork et al 1983, Chilcott & Hume 1984, Foley 1987, Foley & Hume 1987, Barboza 1993, Hume et al 1996. The thick solid line represents the standard curve from Van Soest (1965) for sheep; the thin line represents the regression line for all macropod species (cf.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The relationship between forage cell wall content and voluntary food intake in mammalian herbivores

2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

2. We collected data on voluntary food intake in mammals on forage-only diets and 22 related this to dietary neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content, assuming a nonlinear 23 correlation between these measurements. Generally, the paucity of corresponding data 24 is striking. 25 3. Elephants and pandas showed very high food intakes that appeared unrelated to 26 dietary fibre content. Only in small rodents, and possibly in rabbits, was an increase in 27 food intake on forages of higher NDF content evident. In particular, other large 28 2 herbivores, including horses, followed patterns of decreasing intake with increasing 29 forage NDF, also observed in domestic cattle or sheep. 30 4. For large herbivores, empirical data therefore do not -so far -support the notion that 31 intake is increased in response to declining diet quality. However, data are in accord 32 with the assumption that most large herbivores have an anticipatory strategy of 33 acquiring body reserves when high-quality forage is available, and reducing food 34 intake (and potentially metabolic losses) when only low-quality forage is available. 35 5. Intake studies in which the influence of digestive strategy on food intake capacity is 36 tested should be designed as long-term studies that outlast an anticipatory strategy and 37 force animals to ingest as much as possible. 38 6. We suggest that a colonic separation mechanism coupled with coprophagy, in order to 39 minimize metabolic faecal losses, is necessary below a body size threshold where an 40 anticipatory strategy (living off body reserves, migration) is not feasible. Future 41 studies aimed at investigating fine-scale differences, for example between equids and 42 bovids, should focus on non-domesticated species. 43

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between forage cell wall content and voluntary food intake in mammalian herbivores

2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The low nutritive value and high fibre content of Eucalyptus foliage, together with the cost of detoxifying secondary plant compounds, interact to limit available energy for the species [7-9]. Consequently, koalas, like many other arboreal herbivores, remain inactive for long periods to conserve energy and aid digestion [10-12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activity Patterns of Free-Ranging Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) Revealed by Accelerometry

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

An understanding of koala activity patterns is important for measuring the behavioral response of this species to environmental change, but to date has been limited by the logistical challenges of traditional field methodologies. We addressed this knowledge gap by using tri-axial accelerometer data loggers attached to VHF radio collars to examine activity patterns of adult male and female koalas in a high-density population at Cape Otway, Victoria, Australia. Data were obtained from 27 adult koalas over two 7-d periods during the breeding season: 12 in the early-breeding season in November 2010, and 15 in the late-breeding season in January 2011. Multiple 15 minute observation blocks on each animal were used for validation of activity patterns determined from the accelerometer data loggers. Accelerometry was effective in distinguishing between inactive (sleeping, resting) and active (grooming, feeding and moving) behaviors. Koalas were more active during the early-breeding season with a higher index of movement (overall dynamic body acceleration [ODBA]) for both males and females. Koalas showed a distinct temporal pattern of behavior, with most activity occurring from mid-afternoon to early morning. Accelerometry has potential for examining fine-scale behavior of a wide range of arboreal and terrestrial species.

show abstract

“…A koala's diet consists almost entirely of eucalyptus leaves, which are extremely tough and fibrous as a result of the harsh Australian climate and nutrient-poor soils (48). Eucalyptus leaves contain approximately 25% cellulose, 12% lignin, and 15% noncellulose carbohydrates, including hemicellulose and pectin, components that are poorly digested and concentrated in the koala's feces (32,49) from which D. stemonitis C8 must obtain nutrition. The secretion of enzymes with endoglucanase, xylanase, mannanase, and protease activity by D. stemonitis C8 has been reported previously (40).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Secretome of the Coprophilous Fungus Doratomyces stemonitis C8, Isolated from Koala Feces

Peterson

Grinyer

Nevalainen

2011

Appl Environ Microbiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coprophilous fungi inhabit herbivore feces, secreting enzymes to degrade the most recalcitrant parts of plant biomass that have resisted the digestive process. Consequently, the secretomes of coprophilous fungi have high potential to contain novel and efficient plant cell wall degrading enzymes of biotechnological interest. We have used one-dimensional and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionizationtime-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS/MS), and quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (Q-TOF LC-MS/MS) to identify proteins from the secretome of the coprophilous fungus Doratomyces stemonitis C8 (EU551185) isolated from koala feces. As the genome of D. stemonitis has not been sequenced, cross-species identification, de novo sequencing, and zymography formed an integral part of the analysis. A broad range of enzymes involved in the degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin, and protein were revealed, dominated by cellobiohydrolase of the glycosyl hydrolase family 7 and endo-1,4-␤-xylanase of the glycosyl hydrolase family 10. A high degree of specialization for pectin degradation in the D. stemonitis C8 secretome distinguishes it from the secretomes of some other saprophytic fungi, such as the industrially exploited T. reesei. In the first proteomic analysis of the secretome of a coprophilous fungus reported to date, the identified enzymes provide valuable insight into how coprophilous fungi subsist on herbivore feces, and these findings hold potential for increasing the efficiency of plant biomass degradation in industrial processes such as biofuel production in the future.Filamentous fungi exist in a broad range of habitats, fulfilling significant roles in a diversity of ecosystems. Integral to their survival is the ability to secrete enzymes to break down complex materials in the environment into small molecules that can be absorbed into the hyphae and used for nutrition (53). In the past decade, advances in protein identification techniques and genome sequencing have enabled detailed investigation of the secretomes of saprophytic (31, 42, 47, 50, 51), pathogenic (28, 35, 43), and symbiotic fungal species (29), revealing rich and diverse enzyme arrays. The fungal secretomes have been explored to find enzymes and enzyme combinations for various industrial applications, such as paper, textile, and food manufacture (7, 33) and economically and industrially sustainable hydrolysis of plant biomass to fermentable sugars for biofuel production (1, 13, 46, 51).Coprophilous fungi are a subgroup of saprophytic fungi that can inhabit feces, most commonly herbivore feces (53). As the waste product of the digestive process, herbivore feces are predominantly composed of the most recalcitrant and indigestible parts of the plant: the cell wall polymers cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin (21). Therefore, the potential for the secretomes of coprophilous fungi to contain novel enzymes for efficient plant cell wall degradation is...

show abstract

Eucalyptus Digestibility and Digestible Energy Requirements of Adult Male Koalas, Phascolarctos Cinereus (Marsupialia).

Cited by 18 publications

References 7 publications

The relationship between forage cell wall content and voluntary food intake in mammalian herbivores

The relationship between forage cell wall content and voluntary food intake in mammalian herbivores

Activity Patterns of Free-Ranging Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) Revealed by Accelerometry

Secretome of the Coprophilous Fungus Doratomyces stemonitis C8, Isolated from Koala Feces

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About