Carbohydrate hydrolysis and absorption: lessons from modeling digestive function

Abstract

Evolutionary diversification of vertebrates has resulted in a remarkable variety of feeding strategies. A wide spectrum of evolutionary adaptations spans from grazers and browser to nectar-feeders and carnivores, some feeding only once or twice a year. In this book, a group of internationally recognized specialists discusses physiological and evolutionary adaptations to different feeding strategies in vertebrates. The book is a state-of-the-art account of our mechanistic, comparative and evolutionary understanding of how vertebrates have evolved and adapted to feed on diverse food items. The reviews cover the fields of comparative morphology, nutritional physiology, ecological physiology and molecular mechanisms of food uptake. This book is a unique and invaluable resource for professionals and students of animal physiology, evolutionary biology, ecology, veterinary science, animal nutrition and animal production.