Academic literature on the topic 'Carnivorous plants Morphology'

Plant surfaces that are slippery for insects have evolved independently several times in the plant kingdom, mainly in the groups of carnivorous plants and kettle trap flowers. The surface morphologies of 53 species from both groups were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the surfaces possess highly diverse topographical structures. We present a classification of 12 types of anti-adhesive surfaces, in regard to the assembly and hierarchy of their structural elements. The observed structural elements are different combinations of epidermal cell curvatures with cuticular folds or 3D epicuticular wax crystals and idioblastic elements.

Abstract Suction feeding has evolved independently in two highly disparate animal and plant systems, aquatic vertebrates and carnivorous bladderworts. We review the suction performance of animal and plant suction feeders to explore biomechanical performance limits for aquatic feeders based on morphology and kinematics, in the context of current knowledge of suction feeding. While vertebrates have the greatest diversity and size range of suction feeders, bladderworts are the smallest and fastest known suction feeders. Body size has profound effects on aquatic organismal function, including suction feeding, particularly in the intermediate flow regime that tiny organisms can experience. A minority of tiny organisms suction feed, consistent with model predictions that generating effective suction flow is less energetically efficient and also requires more flow-rate specific power at small size. Although the speed of suction flows generally increases with body and gape size, some specialized tiny plant and animal predators generate suction flows greater than those of suction feeders 100 times larger. Bladderworts generate rapid flow via high-energy and high-power elastic recoil and suction feed for nutrients (relying on photosynthesis for energy). Small animals may be limited by available muscle energy and power, although mouth protrusion can offset the performance cost of not generating high suction pressure. We hypothesize that both the high energetic costs and high power requirements of generating rapid suction flow shape the biomechanics of small suction feeders, and that plants and animals have arrived at different solutions due in part to their different energy budgets.

This review is focused on the realization of liquid-repellent surfaces, inspired by two biological models: “dry” superhydrophobic leaves and “slippery” liquid-repellent carnivorous plants using ultrafast laser processing. After a short introduction to a biomimetic development process, an overview of the laser-fabricated structures, which were intensively used for the realization of biomimetic “dry” and “slippery” liquid-repellent surfaces, is given. The influence of process parameters on the structure morphology is discussed. A summary of superhydrophobic and liquid-repellent modifications of different materials (metals, semiconductors, and polymers), including wettability characteristics and processing details, is provided. The technological applications of laser-structured liquid-repellent surfaces are discussed.

Nitrogen (N) deposition from anthropogenic sources can facilitate the encroachment of plant species with high-N demands into nutrient-poor ecosystems such as sphagnum bogs. Prior research has demonstrated that altered leaf morphology of the carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea L. can serve as a biological indicator of increased bog nitrification. Our objective was to assess the effect of N addition on the root morphology of S. purpurea. To make this assessment, nine S. purpurea plants were grown in microcosms with their roots positioned on transparent acrylic tubes so that root growth could be monitored. Three replicate microcosms received either a high-N treatment (1.0 mg NH4-N·L−1), low-N treatment (0.1 mg NH4-N·L−1), or no additional N. After 7 weeks, we scanned the roots with WinRhizo Pro software, recorded leaf dimensions, and measured the dry mass of the roots and leaves. The high-N treatment had significantly greater root length, surface area, and dry biomass than the controls. In contrast, we found no difference in leaf dimensions or aboveground biomass among treatments. The results of this study support our hypothesis that S. purpurea increases root growth to uptake nutrients from the soil under conditions of increased N deposition.

Nepenthes gymnamphora (kantong semar, palaeotropic pitcher plant) is a carnivorous plant that spreads across the mountains of Java, one of which is on Mount Bismo, Dieng Mountains, Central Java. The prey composition N. gymnamphora here has not been studied before. The purpose of this study was to identify the composition of prey of N. gymnamphora in the Deroduwur Hiking Trail, Mount Bismo, Wonosobo, Central Java. The method used is the identification of prey in the pitcher that has been opened, both the upper and lower pitcher types. The main prey of N. gymnamphora are invertebrates from the ordo of Hymenoptera, Blattodea, Diptera, Araneae, and Diplura. Based on the prey composition analysis, there was a tendency of pitcher dimorphism, namely the upper pitcher of N. gymnamphora tended to contain flying invertebrates, while the lower pitcher tended to contain terrestrial invertebrates. This is influenced by the morphology of the pitcher, the upper pitcher tends to be lighter in color than the lower pitcher so that it is more attractive to fly invertebrates. In addition, the pitcher of N. gymnamphora provides a microhabitat for the larvae of Culicidae and Syrphidae. Keywords: carnivorous plants, Mount Bismo, Nepenthes gymnamphora, prey composition.

Active trapping mechanisms constitute some of the most spectacular examples for how carnivorous plants catch their prey. Recently, we showed that the Pimpernel Sundew (Drosera glanduligera Lehm.) possesses active combined catapult-flypaper- traps which work with a sophisticated two-step mechanism: after mechanical stimulation, elongated marginal snap-tentacles at the trap periphery rapidly fling the prey, often with its dorsal side first, onto sticky glue-tentacles on the leaf blade within less than 1/10 second. Subsequently, stimulated mechanically by the impact, slower glue-tentacles lift the prey into a deeply concave leaf-center where digestion takes place. The snap-tentacles have been analyzed in respect to their kinematics, functional morphology and anatomy, and our observations confirm a complex adaptation to carnivory.

External morphology of teleost brain is organized in such a way that it reflects the correlation between sensory adaptation and principal modes of activity very clearly. Channa gachua, Garra annandelei and Heteropneustes fossilis are among the 168 fresh water fishes recorded in Nepal. While examining the gut contents of these fishes, it was found that C. gachua fed primarily on insects, G. annandelei fed mainly on filamentous algae whereas H. fossilis fed both on plants and animals. Their brain morphology revealed that olfaction in C. gachua was stronger than in G. annandelei and H. fossilis. Similarly, optic sense was also more powerful in C. gachua than in G. annandelei and in H. fossilis. On the contrary, cerebellum of H. fossilis was more developed than that of G. annandelei and C. gachua. These morphological differences of brain could be undoubtedly correlated with the carnivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous feeding behaviour of C. gachua, G. annandelei and H. fossilis respectively. Moreover, in all three fishes, around 20% of the total gut content was made of mud and sand, and they all had inferior mouths, indicating that they were bottom feeders.Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol 4(1): 79-81

Carnivorous rainbow plants (Byblis, Byblidaceae, Lamiales) possess sticky flypaper traps for the capture, retention, and digestion of prey (mainly small insects). The trapping system is based on a multitude of millimeter-sized glandular trichomes (also termed stalked glands), which produce adhesive glue drops. For over a century, the trapping system of Byblis was considered passive, meaning that no plant movement is involved. Recently, a remarkable discovery was made: the stalked glands of Byblis are indeed capable of reacting to chemical (protein) stimuli with slow movement responses. This prompted us to investigate this phenomenon further with a series of experiments on the stimulation, kinematics, actuation, and functional morphology of the stalked glands of cultivated Byblis gigantea plants. Measured stalked gland lengths and densities on the trap leaves are similar to the data from the literature. Motion reactions could only be triggered with chemical stimuli, corroborating the prior study on the stalked gland sensitivity. Reaction time (i.e., time from stimulation until the onset of motion) and movement duration are temperature-dependent, which hints towards a tight physiological control of the involved processes. The stalked gland movement, which consist of a sequence of twisting and kinking motions, is rendered possible by the components of the stalk cell wall and is furthermore anatomically and mechanically predetermined by the orientation of cellulose microfibrils in the cell wall. Successive water displacement processes from the stalk cell into the basal cells actuate the movement. The same kinematics could be observed in stalked glands drying in air or submersed in a saturated salt solution. Stimulated and dried stalked glands as well as those from the hypertonic medium were capable of regaining their initial shape by rehydration in water. However, no glue production could be observed afterwards. The long-time overlooked chemonastic movements of stalked glands may help Byblis to retain and digest its prey; however, further research is needed to shed light on the ecological characteristics of the rainbow plant’s trapping system.

Rheophytism is extremely rare in the Utricularia genus (there are four strictly rheophytic species out of a total of about 260). Utricularia neottioides is an aquatic rheophytic species exclusively growing attached to bedrocks in the South American streams. Utricularia neottioides was considered to be trap-free by some authors, suggesting that it had given up carnivory due to its specific habitat. Our aim was to compare the anatomy of rheophytic U. neottioides with an aquatic Utricularia species with a typical linear monomorphic shoot from the section Utricularia, U. reflexa, which grows in standing or very slowly streaming African waters. Additionally, we compared the immunodetection of cell wall components of both species. Light microscopy, histochemistry, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy were used to address our aims. In U. neottioides, two organ systems can be distinguished: organs (stolons, inflorescence stalk) which possess sclerenchyma and are thus resistant to water currents, and organs without sclerenchyma (leaf-like shoots), which are submissive to the water streaming/movement. Due to life in the turbulent habitat, U. neottioides evolved specific characters including an anchor system with stolons, which have asymmetric structures, sclerenchyma and they form adhesive trichomes on the ventral side. This anchor stolon system performs additional multiple functions including photosynthesis, nutrient storage, vegetative reproduction. In contrast with typical aquatic Utricularia species from the section Utricularia growing in standing waters, U. neottioides stems have a well-developed sclerenchyma system lacking large gas spaces. Plants produce numerous traps, so they should still be treated as a fully carnivorous plant.

Carnivorous plants perform as both producers and consumers. Botanical carnivory has evolved in sunny, moist, nutrient-poor environments, and the primary nutrient supplied by prey is proposed to be nitrogen. There is a trade-off between carnivorous and photosynthetic structures which corresponds to degree of carnivory expression and available nutrients. This study was conducted on the hooded pitcher plant, Sarracenia minor, which is a facultative wetland plant and Florida-threatened species. Sarracenia minor is considered a specialist myrmecophage and ants characterize the majority of attracted and captured prey. Ants not only provide nutritional benefit, but also protection against herbivory. A natural population of S. minor in northeast Florida was selected to test response to prey and fertilizer nitrogen in a press-experimental design. Introduced fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) were used as prey and fertilizer nitrogen sources, respectively. Treatments included: 1) ant addition; 2) fertilizer addition; 3) ant addition/fertilizer addition; 4) no ants/no fertilizer; 5) control. Treatments were administered biweekly and morphological characteristics and herbivory were measured monthly from April-November 2012. Results indicated no significant treatment effects on plant performance and morphological characteristics, except for a significantly greater number of flowers displayed by the nutrient-deprived group (p < .005). Herbivory by Exyra semicrocea also showed a marginally significant negative effect on the tallest pitchers per ramet. Since nitrogen is primarily stored by pitchers and allocated to new growth in the following growing season, the predictive power of this study may be limited. However, increased flowering rate in the nutrient-deprived group suggests that plants were induced to flower from nutrient stress. Also, a burn at the beginning of the study likely influenced nutrient availability and plant response to experimental treatments. In conclusion, stress may have occurred from both fire and nutrients, and S. minor showed resistance and poor response to nitrogen addition.

Le genre Nepenthes regroupe environ 160 espèces de lianes carnivores, principalement situées en Asie du Sud-Est, sur des sols pauvres en nutriments assimilables. L’apex de leurs feuilles est modifié en une vrille portant une urne qui leur permet de capturer des proies et d’acquérir des nutriments, principalement de l’azote. Réputées toutes insectivores, avec des urnes équipées de cire glissante sur la paroi interne et un liquide enzymatique à rôle digestif, ces plantes ont en fait un régime alimentaire plus diversifié. Des espèces sont coprophages, détritivores ou encore spécialisées sur une guilde particulière d’insectes. Elles poussent dans des milieux variés, plus ou moins ouverts, sur sols sableux ou tourbeux. Les traits fonctionnels des pièges de Nepenthes varient selon les espèces, avec présence ou non d’une collerette attractive, d’une zone cireuse glissante, et un liquide, viscoélastique ou non, hébergeant une faune spécifique (inquilines). Ces traits peuvent représenter autant d’adaptations attestant d’une diversité de stratégies de séquestration de l’azote. Beaucoup d’études se sont intéressées au rôle des parois glissantes dans la capture des insectes, peu aux propriétés du fluide digestif. La quantité d’azote disponible du milieu et la forme sous laquelle il se présente influencent-elles la concentration en azote des feuilles de la plante, l’origine de ses ressources azotées et son degré de carnivorie ? Quel est le rôle du fluide dans la capture et la digestion des proies, dans la stratégie de séquestration de l’azote de la plante ? Quid des différences d’acidité, de viscoélasticité ou de pool enzymatique entre espèces ? Des différences d’abondance et de composition de la faune inquiline ? Quelles sont les conséquences de toutes ces différences en termes de recyclage d’azote pour la plante ?Cette thèse explore la contribution du fluide digestif, de ses propriétés physico-chimiques et biotiques à la capture et la digestion des proies de 7 espèces de Nepenthes du Brunei (Bornéo).Dans un premier volet, nous montrons que les espèces sont adaptées à des milieux de richesse variée en azote édaphique et biotique grâce à différentes stratégies d’acquisition de l’azote. Le contenu des urnes montre une variation du degré d’insectivorie. La diversité de leurs traits fonctionnels expliquerait les différences dans la nature des proies et l’efficacité de capture. Nectar extrafloral, fluide digestif acide et cire épicuticulaire glissante sont associés à la capture de fourmis, trichomes glandulaires, fourmi symbiotique et urnes cylindriques à la capture de termites et enfin, fluide acide et viscoélastique, mais surtout urne en entonnoir, à grande ouverture et production d’odeur florale expliquent l’abondance d’insectes volants. Les espèces varient aussi fortement dans leurs sécrétions enzymatiques et dans leurs cortèges d’inquilines. Dans un second volet, nous montrons in situ que les propriétés physicochimiques et biotiques du fluide expliquent en partie les différences de stratégies d’acquisition de l’azote chez les Nepenthes. Le pH et la viscoélasticité du fluide influencent la quantité et la nature des proies capturées. Ses propriétés physicochimiques conditionnent également la richesse de l’écosystème aquatique associé au fluide, avec une macrofaune aquatique plus abondante et diverse dans les urnes au liquide peu acide et au diamètre d’ouverture large. Cette macrofaune inquiline joue un rôle important dans la dégradation des proies, et la présence d’un top-prédateur s’avère essentielle dans le recyclage de l’azote. Nous discutons enfin du rôle majeur du fluide dans le régime alimentaire de la plante et dans la probable radiation adaptative du genre Nepenthes et concluons par une réflexion sur les différentes formes de carnivorie observées chez ces plantes et leurs systèmes de digestion, allant d’une stratégie agressive autonome à une stratégie mutualiste, redéfinissant par-là le concept de carnivorie dans le monde végétal
The Nepenthes carnivorous plants genus encompasses about 160 species growing mostly in Southeast Asia in habitats characterised by their scarcity in absorbable nutrients. The leaf apex is modified into a tendril bearing a pitcher trap which allows the plant catching its prey and taking up the nutrients indispensable for its growth, mainly nitrogen. Reputed to be insectivorous, bearing traps equipped with a slippery wax covering the inner pitcher wall and with an enzymatic liquid involved in the digestion, Nepenthes species actually have a more diverse diet. Coprophagous, detritivorous, and insect-guild specialised species have been reported. These plants grow in more or less open environments, on sandy or peaty soils. Nepenthes traps show an inter-specific diversity of functional traits, bearing or not an attractive collar, a slippery waxy zone, and a viscoelastic liquid, which shelters a species-specific living infauna. Such different traits may reflect as many adaptations attesting to a diversity of nitrogen-sequestration. Many studies have focused on the role of slippery walls in insect capture but few of them have investigated the importance of the digestive fluid in both capture and digestion. Do the quantity of nitrogen available in the environment and the form of its availability influence the nitrogen foliar concentration of these plants, the source of their nitrogen supply and their carnivorous habit? How does the fluid influence prey capture and digestion? Can it contribute to the nitrogen-sequestration strategy of the plant? Do the fluids differ in their acidity, viscoelasticity, enzymatic pool, and in the abundance and species diversity of their infauna? What are the consequences of all these differences in terms of nitrogen recycling for the host plant?This PhD thesis explores the contribution of the digestive fluid and its physico-chemical and biotic properties on prey capture and digestion in 7 Nepenthes species in Brunei (Borneo).The first part shows that Nepenthes species have adapted to habitat differing in edaphic and biotic nitrogen available through distinct strategies of nitrogen acquisition. Pitcher contents’ analyses show that plants vary for their degree of insectivory. The variety of functional traits could explain the differences in their capture efficiency and prey diversity. While extrafloral nectar, slippery epicuticular wax and acidic fluid pH are associated with ants’ capture, cylinder-shaped traps, glandular trichomes and ant-association increase termites’ capture. Yellow colour, acidic pH and fluid viscoelasticity but above all, pitcher conicity, wide aperture diameter and magnitude of floral odour account for the abundance of flying insects. These Nepenthes species also strongly vary in their enzymatic secretions and inquilines spectra.In a second part, we show in situ how such differences in physico-chemical and biotic properties of the fluid partly account for the differences in nitrogen-sequestration strategy in these plants. Fluid pH and viscoelasticity influence the quantity and the nature of prey. Those physico-chemical properties also condition the richness of the aquatic ecosystem associated to the fluid, with an aquatic macrofauna more abundant and diverse in pitchers with lowly-acidic liquids and wide pitcher-openings. This inquiline macrofauna plays an essential role in prey degradation, and the presence of a top-predator is crucial for the nitrogen recycling to the plant.We finally discuss the major contribution of the fluid in the plant’s diet and its role in the probable adaptive radiation of the Nepenthes genus and conclude by a survey of the various forms of carnivory in these plants and their digestive systems, which range from an autonomous aggressive strategy to a mutualistic strategy, thus redefining the concept of carnivory in the plant’s world

We review the current knowledge of trap anatomy of carnivorous plants, with a focus on the diversity and structure of the glands that are used to attract, capture, kill and digest their prey and finally to absorb nutrients from carcasses of prey. These glands have diverse forms. Regardless of their structure and origin, they have the same functional units, but there are differences in subcellular mechanisms and adaptations for carnivory. We propose a new type of carnivorous plant trap—a ‘fecal traps—which has unique physiology, morphology, and anatomy for attracting the animals that are the source of excrement and also to retain and use it.