Differences Between Grasses and Browses

Grasses (monocots), forbs and browse (dicots) differ in structure and chemistry. Grasses have a thicker cell wall containing potentially digestible structural carbohydrates, fewer secondary plant chemicals, and have a relatively low and homogenous growth relative to browses. Mammalian herbivores can be classified along a continuum according to which plant type they prefer. Diet choices correspond with morphological specialization within the gastro-intestinal tract, including the mouth and teeth, which may confer increased efficiency for extracting nutrients from grasses and browses. These differences are confounded with body size, and thus the full extent of the effects of morphology on digesting and harvesting foods is unclear. However, understanding the feeding niche of herbivores may help understand competitive interactions among herbivores and proper range management.