Pregledni rad
ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITES IN HERBIVORES NUTRITION
Jozo Rogošić
; Sveučilište u Zadru, Trg Kneza Višeslava 9, Zadar, Hrvatska
Tomislav Šarić
; Sveučilište u Zadru, Trg Kneza Višeslava 9, Zadar, Hrvatska
Ivan Župan
; Sveučilište u Zadru, Trg Kneza Višeslava 9, Zadar, Hrvatska
Zoran Šikić
; Sveučilište u Zadru, Trg Kneza Višeslava 9, Zadar, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Plant secondary metabolites (also called phytotoxins; natural products) are molecules made in most vascular plants that are not necessary for their survival, but in higher concentrations protect plants from consumers or from pathogens. These phytochemicals can adversely affect cellular and metabolic processes in herbivores, but also at low doses and in appropriate mixtures, they can have beneficial effects on animal nutrition, health and other therapeutic impacts. In this paper, we demonstrate the potential effects of plants with medicinal properties on animal foraging behavior as a function of the consequences they experience after ingestion of Mediterranean shrubs that are rich in phytotoxins. This mechanism – behavior by consequences – suggests animals are able to meet nutritional requirements and self-select certain plants with medicinal properties if they are offered the opportunity to do so when foraging in diverse Mediterranean shrub communities. Understanding the feeding behavior of ruminants when offered a variety of plant species is necessary to be able to improve their health and well-being by reducing levels of stress and fear; it may also lead to the early detection of illness. Thus, management strategies in biochemically/biologically diverse ecosystems should benefit from allowing ruminants to manifest their feeding preferences.
Ključne riječi
Mediterranean shrubs; herbivores; secondary compounds; activated charcoal; polyethylene glycol; calcium hydroxide; medicinal plants
Hrčak ID:
112833
URI
Datum izdavanja:
17.9.2013.
Posjeta: 4.181 *