Herbivores are organisms that obtain the majority of their energy and nutrients by consuming autotrophic plant material or algae, forming a critical trophic level in ecological and biogeochemical systems. They exhibit diverse morphological and physiological adaptations for processing cellulose-rich diets, including specialized dentition, elongated and compartmentalized gastrointestinal tracts, and symbiotic microbiota enabling fermentation and volatile fatty acid production. Herbivory influences plant population dynamics, community composition, and primary productivity, mediating top-down and bottom-up interactions and driving coevolutionary arms races such as chemical defenses and counteradaptations. In ecosystem and food-web models, herbivores are central to energy transfer from primary producers to higher trophic levels and to nutrient cycling through excretion and biomass turnover.
Baby dinosaurs were likely fed more nutritious food than their adult counterparts, a finding that could offer insights into their social evolution, suggests a new study. Paleontologists uncovered this finding by studying ...
Paleontology & Fossils
May 8, 2026
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117
When cows burp, they send a substantial amount of methane gas into the air, which makes them a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. According to research published in the journal Science, a newly discovered hydrogen-producing ...
New research led by Flinders University argues thick tooth enamel helped kangaroos chart an unconventional evolution story, compared to the animals of other continents. A 50-million-year natural "experiment" among Australia's ...
Evolution
Apr 30, 2026
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27
In addition to habitat loss and illegal hunting, the jaguar (Panthera onca) faces another threat that increases its risk of extinction in the South American Atlantic Forest: food scarcity. A study by Brazilian researchers ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 28, 2026
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148
A new study led by researchers from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin reveals how the loss of large mammals can ripple through ecosystems in unexpected ways, even affecting amphibian larvae living in temporary ponds. By examining ...
Ecology
Apr 20, 2026
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19
Teeth are like tiny biological time capsules. They tell stories about ancient diets and environments long after their owners have died and landscapes have changed.
Evolution
Apr 20, 2026
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18
A study by researchers at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry indicates that if lichen continues to decline across the Arctic, caribou populations could struggle to survive the winter.
Plants & Animals
Apr 8, 2026
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9
Predators don't expect to be preyed upon, and especially not by herbivores such as caterpillars. The slow-moving, leaf-eating larvae may only intend to consume plants, but sometimes tiny creatures making their homes under ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 8, 2026
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10
A new QUT-led study has found both grazing mammals and plant-eating insects together play a major role in maintaining the health of Australia's endangered grassy woodlands. The three-year study, conducted in lowland grassy ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 24, 2026
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11
Milkweed has found a new strategy in its epic evolutionary battle with monarch butterflies: upgrading its toxins to outmaneuver the monarch's resistance. In a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy ...
Evolution
Mar 19, 2026
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40
