Publication Date
1989
Description
Herbivores of the boreal forest like moose (Alces alces), hares (Lepus spp.) and birds (Tetranoidae) use birch as a major feed source. The tree is of medium preference to the animals and is low in available nutrients for most of the year. Apart from a high amount of lignified cell walls it also contains considerable amounts oflow molecular phenolic substances (Palo, 1984). A herbivore feeding on birch could thus be excepted to ingest large amounts of phenols. These are in general enough fat soluble to enter animal cells expected to ingest large amounts of phenols. These are in general enough fat soluble to enter animal cells easily and many are toxic. The present investigation aimed at studying whether phenolic compounds in birch had any physiological effects on animals consuming them and if so, whether these effects were such as to assume that these compounds were part of a chemical defense.
Citation
Palo, R T.; Iason, G; and Knutsonn, P G., "Phenols as Defensive Compounds in Birch (Betula spp.) Metabolism of Platyphylloside in Goats, Rabbits and Hares" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 92.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session7/92
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Phenols as Defensive Compounds in Birch (Betula spp.) Metabolism of Platyphylloside in Goats, Rabbits and Hares
Herbivores of the boreal forest like moose (Alces alces), hares (Lepus spp.) and birds (Tetranoidae) use birch as a major feed source. The tree is of medium preference to the animals and is low in available nutrients for most of the year. Apart from a high amount of lignified cell walls it also contains considerable amounts oflow molecular phenolic substances (Palo, 1984). A herbivore feeding on birch could thus be excepted to ingest large amounts of phenols. These are in general enough fat soluble to enter animal cells expected to ingest large amounts of phenols. These are in general enough fat soluble to enter animal cells easily and many are toxic. The present investigation aimed at studying whether phenolic compounds in birch had any physiological effects on animals consuming them and if so, whether these effects were such as to assume that these compounds were part of a chemical defense.
