Importance of Herbivores Foraging in Terrestrial Environments
COVENTRY UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF BUSINESS, ENVIRONMENT & SOCIETY Module M58: Ecological management and assessment
Re-sit Coursework 2010
Submitted by: ELAICHOUNI MEHDI
2009/2010
Executive summary
CONTENTS
I. Introduction II. Importance of herbivore foraging in terrestrial environments III. Negative impact IV. Conclusion and recommendations V. References
Introduction
An herbivorous animal is an animal that feeds almost exclusively on vegetation. Often it is a grazer like a horse, or a climber like the panda, but they are not predators.
The teeth of herbivorous mammals are made to crush the grass by chewing it so that it can be digested.
An herbivorous is not necessarily a mammal; insects can also eat only plants. The herbivorous insects are often a bigger problem for humans because they destroy crops if their number is large enough.
The hoofed animals are usually herbivores such as deer and cattle … their legs are not really made to catch prey. The vast majority will stay in groups, according to flee the threat. Speed is their main advantage; the horse is an excellent example. In the case of the cattle, its imposing weight and the horns on his head can save him from big predators.
The herbivore insect eats plants, flowers, roots, leaves ….depending on its diet. They can easily devastate a garden if they are fairly numerous. For example the beetle eats the roots and kills the plant that can no longer get water.
Naturally, the herbivorous animal is placed higher up the food chain because they eat grass and not in danger to other animals, he does not hunt and he is the prey of carnivorous animals.
Between plants and predators, herbivores are the key component of the ecosystem that determines the abundance of predators and plants. The Center for Biological Sciences conducts research on interactions between plants and herbivores (the effects of the consumption of plants for the flora as for herbivores
FACULTY OF BUSINESS, ENVIRONMENT & SOCIETY Module M58: Ecological management and assessment
Re-sit Coursework 2010
Submitted by: ELAICHOUNI MEHDI
2009/2010
Executive summary
CONTENTS
I. Introduction II. Importance of herbivore foraging in terrestrial environments III. Negative impact IV. Conclusion and recommendations V. References
Introduction
An herbivorous animal is an animal that feeds almost exclusively on vegetation. Often it is a grazer like a horse, or a climber like the panda, but they are not predators.
The teeth of herbivorous mammals are made to crush the grass by chewing it so that it can be digested.
An herbivorous is not necessarily a mammal; insects can also eat only plants. The herbivorous insects are often a bigger problem for humans because they destroy crops if their number is large enough.
The hoofed animals are usually herbivores such as deer and cattle … their legs are not really made to catch prey. The vast majority will stay in groups, according to flee the threat. Speed is their main advantage; the horse is an excellent example. In the case of the cattle, its imposing weight and the horns on his head can save him from big predators.
The herbivore insect eats plants, flowers, roots, leaves ….depending on its diet. They can easily devastate a garden if they are fairly numerous. For example the beetle eats the roots and kills the plant that can no longer get water.
Naturally, the herbivorous animal is placed higher up the food chain because they eat grass and not in danger to other animals, he does not hunt and he is the prey of carnivorous animals.
Between plants and predators, herbivores are the key component of the ecosystem that determines the abundance of predators and plants. The Center for Biological Sciences conducts research on interactions between plants and herbivores (the effects of the consumption of plants for the flora as for herbivores