Venus Flytrap Seedlings Show Growth-Related Prey Size Specificity
Joint Authors
Hart, Adam G.
Hatcher, Christopher R.
Source
International Journal of Ecology
Issue
Vol. 2014, Issue 2014 (31 Dec. 2014), pp.1-8, 8 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2014-03-18
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
8
Main Subjects
Natural & Life Sciences (Multidisciplinary)
Biology
Abstract EN
Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) has had a conservation status of vulnerable since the 1970s.
Little research has focussed on the ecology and even less has examined its juvenile stages.
For the first time, reliance on invertebrate prey for growth was assessed in seedling Venus flytrap by systematic elimination of invertebrates from the growing environment.
Prey were experimentally removed from a subset of Venus flytrap seedlings within a laboratory environment.
The amount of growth was measured by measuring trap midrib length as a function of overall growth as well as prey spectrum.
There was significantly lower growth in prey-eliminated plants than those utilising prey.
This finding, although initially unsurprising, is actually contrary to the consensus that seedlings (traps < 5 mm) do not catch prey.
Furthermore, flytrap was shown to have prey specificity at its different growth stages; the dominant prey size for seedlings did not trigger mature traps.
Seedlings are capturing and utilising prey for nutrients to increase their overall trap size.
These novel findings show Venus flytrap to have a much more complex evolutionary ecology than previously thought.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Hatcher, Christopher R.& Hart, Adam G.. 2014. Venus Flytrap Seedlings Show Growth-Related Prey Size Specificity. International Journal of Ecology،Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-8.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-448458
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Hatcher, Christopher R.& Hart, Adam G.. Venus Flytrap Seedlings Show Growth-Related Prey Size Specificity. International Journal of Ecology No. 2014 (2014), pp.1-8.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-448458
American Medical Association (AMA)
Hatcher, Christopher R.& Hart, Adam G.. Venus Flytrap Seedlings Show Growth-Related Prey Size Specificity. International Journal of Ecology. 2014. Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-8.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-448458
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-448458