Digestion rate in Martino's vole (Dinaromys bogdanovi)

Biologija dinarskog voluhara slabo je istražena što ostavlja mnogo neodgovorenih pitanja iz područja njihove fiziologije, etologije i genetike. Biljojedi su i u divljini se hrane uglavnom travama i zeljastim biljem. Prehrambena strategija malih biljojednih sisavaca mediteranskog područja obično je konzumacija većih količina hrane i duže zadržavanje hrane u probavnom traktu kako bi kompenzirali nisku energetsku profitabilnost hrane. Poznavanje brzine probave neke vrste također pomaže u razumijevanju ponašanja, pogotovo vezano uz prehrambene navike i interakcije sa hranom. Cilj istraživanja je određivanje brzine prolaska hrane kroz probavni trakt dinarskog voluhara. Istraživanje je provedeno na 13 jedinki tokom ljetne i zimske prehrambene sezone. Za istraživanje su korišteni fizikalni markeri u obliku plastičnih trakica. Hrana u potpunosti prolazi kroz probavni trakt u roku od 24 sata nakon što je pojedena, a počinje izlaziti već nakon prva 4 sata. Nisu uočene razlike u brzini probave među sezonama, kao ni među spolovima. Rezultati potvrđuju da je dinarski voluhar cekumski fermentor. Za potpuno poznavanje brzine probave potrebno je istražiti tekuću frakciju probave korištenjem kemijskih metoda.Martino's Vole biology is largely unexplored, which leaves many unanswered questions in fields of their physiology, ethology and genetics. They are herbivores, and in the wild they eat mostly grasses and leafy plants. Dietary strategies of small mammalian herbivores in Mediterranean region is usually consummation od large amounts of food, and longer retention of food in digestive system in order to compensate for low energy profitability of foraged food. Knowing digestion rate of a species also helps in understanding behaviour, especially dietary behaviour and food interactions. The goal of this research is to discover the digestion rate of Martino's Vole. The research was conducted on 13 specimens during summer and winter season. Physical markers in form of small plastic strips were used for researching the digestion rate. Food passes through the digestive tract within 24 hours after it has been eaten, and it starts to exit the tract after the first 4 hours. No differences in digestion rate were noticed between seasons, nor genders. The results confirm that Martino's Vole is a cecum fermenter. For complete understanding of the digestion rate the liquid food fraction should be explored through use of chemical methods of digestion rate research