Christmas Lectures 2009: Sue Hartley - The Animals Strike Back

About this video

How plant-eating animals have overcome diet deficiencies and plant defence.

In this lecture, Sue Hartley explores the different ways plant-eating animals have evolved to adequately sustain themselves, and tackle plants' weapons of self-defence. 

Whilst vegetation might help fill an empty stomach, it doesn't provide animals with all the nutrients they need to live and grow. Plant material is mostly cellulose, water and carbohydrate, and has very little fat or protein which are both vital to an animal’s diet. To add to the dilemma, plants have developed all sorts of self-protection mechanisms, which make it hard for animals to feast on them at the best of times!