Ecology
Herbivore
An animal that feeds primarily on plants. Herbivores have specialized digestive systems to break down cellulose and extract nutrients from vegetation.
Biological Context
Herbivores include grazers (grass eaters), browsers (leaf eaters), and frugivores (fruit eaters). Their digestive systems often involve fermentation chambers or extended gut passage times. Herbivores transfer energy from plants to higher trophic levels.
Business Application
Herbivore businesses consume abundant, renewable resources—commodity inputs, freely available information, open-source software. They need efficient processing systems and face competition from other herbivores for the same resources.