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Yes, Elephants are herbivores and their digestive systems can break down plant cellulose

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Q: Can an elephant break down plant cellulose?
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What does the trichonympha eat?

it breaks down the cellulose in the wood and plant fibers; it eats the wood and plant fibers


Why do animals do not digest cellulose?

Humans are unable to get metabolic energy from cellulose because they lack the enzymes necessary to chemically break it down. Since the human body can't properly digest cellulose, it's passed in the feces.


What is the problem with cellulose for animals?

Well, I'm not sure there is a really a "problem" with cellulose, but if you're talking about ingestion and digestion, it really depends on what animal you're talking about. Cellulose is a structural polysaccharide (sugar) that is found in the cell walls of plants. It contains beta 1-4 glycosidic linkages between glucose molecules that cannot be broken in the digestive tract of most animals. However, ruminant animals (cows, goats, sheep) have microorganisms in their gut that can break cellulose down using the enzyme cellulase and the cellulose can then be utilized by the animal. So, for most animals, cellulose cannot be broken down and used.


What is the symbolism of an elephant with truck lift mean?

The symbolism of an elephant with a trunk lifted is said to mean good luck. An elephant with its elephant down is said to be bad luck.


What does a pig's cecum do?

The cecum houses a large number of bacteria that help in digestion of plant materials, mostly cellulose, that remains undigested in the stomach and small intestine. This is done by the process of fermentation that helps in breaking down the plant fibers. The nutrients from cellulose are later absorbed by the large intestine.

Related questions

Can lactase break down cellulose?

Yes, lactase can definitely break down cellulose. In fact, when the lactase works to break down the cellulose, it breaks the cellulose down into two different monomers.


How do horses break down cellulose?

Horses break down cellulose by use of enzyme cellulase.


What is an adaptation that enables hoofed mammals to break down the cellulose of plant cell walls into nutrients?

cud chewing


What is found in plant cell walls that account for their strength?

Cellulose. It is so tough even we humans cannot break it down.


Describe two ways bacteria provide nutrients to humans?

they break down cellulose (plant starch) that humans cannot digest they break down lactose with lactic acid, that humans do not produce


Humans cannot digest cellulose because they?

Because they do not have the digestive enzyme to break down cellulose.


Do carrots and broccoli have to be cooked to break down cellulose?

cooked or raw cellulose is impossible to breakdown by humans


Fermentation of cellulose in the rumen yields?

In the process of fermentation, bacteria and protozoa (one-celled organisms) as well as digestive enzymes act on plant material to break down cellulose (the primary component of plant fiber) into volatile fatty acids (VFAs), proteins, and vitamins.


What animals contain microbes that can break down cellulose?

Cows, horses, sheep, goats, and termites have bacteria living inside their intestinal tract. These bacteria can break down cellulose that is in grass and other plants.


What are the effects on human body if humans start digesting Cellulose?

Cellulose is just a polysaccharide composed of glucose. If we had the digestive enzymes to break down cellulose into glucose, it would just mean tha we can get more energy from our diet without turning the cellulose into "roughage." Cows have a symbiotic relationship with certain kinds of bacteria that make the digestive enzymes. This is why cows and some other animals can break down cellulose and eat grass. If we had the enzymes to break down cellulose, we too would be able to eat grass!


What enzyme breaks down cellulase?

Cellulose. The entities that break down proteins are called proteases.


What kind of polysaccharide cannot be digested by human beings?

Humans cannot break down cellulose because it contains beta glucose and the enzymes that humans have cannot break down beta glucose.