Bacteria Present in the Digestive Tracts of Some Herbivores Function

Question

Bacteria present in the digestive tracts of some herbivores function to
A) provide bulk to their feces.
B) produce minerals for their hosts.
C) detoxify harmful materials found in the food.
D) digest the animal waste products from the herbivore diet.
E) digest the cellulose cell wall of plant cells.

Accepted Answer

Bacteria in the digestive tracts of some herbivores are crucial for breaking down cellulose, a major component of plant cell walls, which herbivores themselves cannot digest due to the lack of the necessary enzymes. This symbiotic relationship allows herbivores to access the energy stored in cellulose.