DOCSLIB.ORG

Signaling in Electrical Networks of the Venus Flytrap

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Signaling in Electrical Networks of the Venus Flytrap Bioelectrochemistry 125 (2019) 25–32 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Bioelectrochemistry journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/bioelechem Signaling in electrical networks of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula Ellis) Alexander G. Volkov ⁎ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oakwood University, Huntsville, AL 35896, USA article info abstract Article history: The Venus flytrap captures insects with one of the most rapid movements in the plant kingdom. There is a signif- Received 9 June 2018 icant difference between properties of electrical signals generated in the Venus flytrap described in literature. Received in revised form 3 September 2018 Amplitudes of action potentials vary from 14 mV to 200 mV with duration of signals from 2 ms to 10 s. Here Accepted 3 September 2018 we present experimental study of potential differences between Ag/AgCl electrodes inserted to the trap, petiole, Available online 05 September 2018 and into soil or external ECG electrodes attached to surfaces of the Venus flytrap. Diverse types of electrodes with Keywords: various positions in a plant tissue or in soil show different amplitude and duration of electrical signals because fl Action potential potentials are measured in different electrochemical circuits. Electrical signals in the Venus ytrap were induced Bioelectrochemistry by mechanical stimulation of the trigger hairs or by chemical stimulation of a midrib using small drops of H2O2 or Dionaea muscipula HNO3. Here we found that action potentials can propagate with speed up to 10 m/s in the trap of D. muscipula. Electrotonic potential Results are compared with equivalent electrical circuits. Venus flytrap © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Plant electrophysiology Signal transduction 1. Introduction was related to the turgor pressure was later confirmed by many authors. It is well known that some functions in plants and fungi can be driven by The history of studying the Venus flytrap spans a few centuries exploiting hydrodynamic flow, such as the stomata guard cell opening [1–10]. Touching trigger hairs activates mechanosensitive ion channels and closing, leaf pulvini motor organ, mechanical traps of carnivorous and generates receptor potentials which can be amplified by voltage plants, and fungal appressed penetration. gated ion channels to action potentials propagated through the trap's It is common knowledge that the leaves of the Venus flytrap actively tissue with constant amplitude, duration, and speed [11–13]. This pro- employ turgor pressure and hydrodynamic flow for fast movement and cess depends on the transmembrane flow of protons, calcium, chloride, catching insects. In these processes the upper and lower surfaces of the and potassium ions. It was found that two action potentials are required leaf behave quite differently [16]. During the trap closing, the loss of tur- to trigger the closing of the trap at room temperature, and only one ac- gor by parenchyma, lying beneath the upper epidermis, is accompanied tion potential is required at higher temperatures. It has been found that by the active expansion of the tissues of the lower layers of parenchyma uncouplers and blockers of aquaporins and ion channels can reduce or near the under epidermis. The cells on the inner face of the trap jettison completely inhibit the response of the Venus flytrap to physical, chem- their cargo of water, shrink, and allow the trap lobe to fold over. The ical or electrical stimuli [14,15]. Action potentials can be also generated cells of the lower epidermis expand rapidly, folding the trap lobes over. when epidermis or mesophyll cells in the lobe of the trap are stimulated Different environmental stimuli evoke specific responses in living by applied pressure or mechanical damage. cells which have the capacity to transmit a signal to the responding re- Darwin demonstrated that the basic catching movement of the gion. A variety of electrical signaling in the Venus flytrap includes recep- Venus flytrap involves the transformation of the leaf curvature from tor, electrotonic, and action potentials [7,17–25]. A receptor potential concave to convex resulting in the closing of the trap [5]. The upper always precedes an action potential and couples the mechanical stimu- leaf of the Venus flytrap includes two distinct layers of cells at upper lation step to the action potential step of the preying sequence [21,26]. and lower surfaces that behave quite differently in the process of trap A possible pathway of action potential propagation includes vascular closure. The finding of these two independent layers and their role bundles and plasmodesmata in the trap [27–35]. Generation of electrical signals which looks like action potentials in the Venus [flytrap 1–4,15,19,22,23,33–37,39–50] has been registered Abbreviations: C, capacitance; ECG, electrocardiogram; R, resistance; τ =RC, time by plant physiologists (Table 1) in the last 150 years usually with slow constant; V,voltage;V , input voltage. in fi ⁎ Corresponding author. registration systems without low pass lters. Due to the electronic ef- E-mail address: [email protected]. fects of aliasing, many publications show different amplitude from a https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioelechem.2018.09.001 1567-5394/© 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 26 A.G. Volkov / Bioelectrochemistry 125 (2019) 25–32 Table 1 Action potentials in D. muscipula. Amplitude, [mV] Duration, [s] Electrodes: Contact Method and Location Stimuli Reference 1 130 1 Inserted in a trap Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [33] 2 100 0.6–3 Inserted in a lobe and midrib Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [34–36] 3 140–200 2–10 Inserted in the trap Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [19] 4 150–200 2–5 Inserted in mesophyll cells Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [37] 5 50 5 Trigger hair Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [40] 6 14 6 Both lobes Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [46] 7 160 2 In a lobe with disconnected trap Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [8] 8 100 2 On a trap surface with conductive gel, reference electrode in soil Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs [48] 920–50 2–5 On a trap surface with conductive gel, reference electrode in soil Mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs by a live pillbug [49] (Isodopa) few 7mV to 200 mV, duration from 0.2 s to 10 s, and estimated without Carolina) and grown in well drained peat moss in 250 mL plastic pots direct measurements [35] speed of propagation of action potentials at 22 °C with a 12:12 h light:dark photoperiod. All plants were culti- from 0.05 m/s to 0.2 m/s. These results were criticized by plant physiol- vated from seeds. The soil was treated with distilled water. Irradiance ogists 130 years ago because such slow action potentials can be the re- was 800–900 μmol photons m−2 s−1 PAR at plant level. All experi- sult of the Venus flytrap closure, but not its direct cause [10]. Recently, it ments were performed on healthy adult specimens. was shown that the fast closure of the Venus flytrap starts 0.1 s after fi – mechanical stimulation and nishes in 1 s [5,51 53]. 2.2. Chemicals When electrochemical signals are measured, it is extremely impor- tant to take into consideration the sampling rate which determines Hydrogen peroxide solution and HNO3 was purchased from Sigma- how often the measurement device samples an incoming analog signal. Aldrich (USA). According to the sampling theorem, the original signal must be ade- quately sampled in order to be properly represented by the sampled sig- 2.3. Extracellular Ag/AgCl electrodes nal. If the sampling rate is too slow, the rapid changes in the original signal between any two consecutive samples cannot be accurately re- Teflon coated silver wires (A-M Systems, Inc., Sequim, WA, USA)with corded. As a result, higher frequency components of the original signal a diameter of 0.2 mm were used for preparation of non-polarizable elec- will be misrepresented as lower frequencies. In signal processing, this trodes. Reversible Ag/AgCl electrodes were prepared in the dark by elec- problem is known as aliasing. According to the Nyquist Criterion, the trodeposition of AgCl on 5 mm long silver wire tips without Teflon sampling frequency must be at least twice the bandwidth of the signal coating in a 0.1 M KCl aqueous solution. The anode was a high-purity sil- to avoid aliasing. Undersampling may result in the mispresentation of ver wire and the cathode was a platinum plate. Electrical current in the the measured signal and increasing the duration of electrical signals electrolytic cell was limited to 1 mA/cm2 of the anode's surface. Stabili- such as action or electrotonic potentials. This is a major reason for irre- zation of electrodes was accomplished by placing two Ag/AgCl elec- producibility of electrical signal duration shown in the Table 1. trodes in a 0.1 M KCl solution for 24 h and connecting a short circuit Action potential in the trap can induce electrotonic potential in the between them. The response time of Ag/AgCl electrodes was less than petiole, which decreases exponentially with distance from the trap 0.1 μs. Identical Ag/AgCl electrodes were used as working and reference [17]. Another reason for the distinction of action potentials is the differ- electrodes for measurements of potential differences in the plants. Fol- ent location of electrodes inside lobes, inside the midrib, on the surface lowing insertion of the electrodes into lobes, the traps closed. We of lobes or midrib attached by conductive glue, in lower leaf, and in soil. allowed plants to rest until the traps were completely open after transi- Electrical potentials in different electrochemical cells can vary and re- tion from the convex to concave leaf curvature.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A New Carnivorous Plant Lineage (Triantha) with a Unique Sticky-Inflorescence Trap
    A new carnivorous plant lineage (Triantha) with a unique sticky-inflorescence trap Qianshi Lina,b,1, Cécile Anéc,d, Thomas J. Givnishc, and Sean W. Grahama,b aDepartment of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; bUBC Botanical Garden, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; cDepartment of Botany, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706; and dDepartment of Statistics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison WI 53706 Edited by Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, and approved June 5, 2021 (received for review October 30, 2020) Carnivorous plants consume animals for mineral nutrients that and in wetlands, including bogs, marly shorelines, and calcareous enhance growth and reproduction in nutrient-poor environments. spring-fed fens. In bogs, T. occidentalis is commonly found with Here, we report that Triantha occidentalis (Tofieldiaceae) represents recognized carnivorous plants such as Drosera rotundifolia a previously overlooked carnivorous lineage that captures insects on (Droseraceae) and Pinguicula vulgaris (Lentibulariaceae). During sticky inflorescences. Field experiments, isotopic data, and mixing the summer flowering season, T. occidentalis produces leafless models demonstrate significant N transfer from prey to Triantha, erect flowering stems up to 80 cm tall (12). These scapes have with an estimated 64% of leaf N obtained from prey capture in sticky glandular hairs, especially on their upper portions, a feature previous years, comparable to levels inferred for the cooccurring distinguishing Triantha from other genera of Tofieldiaceae round-leaved sundew, a recognized carnivore. N obtained via carnivory (Fig. 1). Small insects are often found trapped by these hairs; is exported from the inflorescence and developing fruits and may herbarium specimens are frequently covered in insects (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Testing Darwin's Hypothesis About The
    vol. 193, no. 2 the american naturalist february 2019 Natural History Note Testing Darwin’s Hypothesis about the Wonderful Venus Flytrap: Marginal Spikes Form a “Horrid q1 Prison” for Moderate-Sized Insect Prey Alexander L. Davis,1 Matthew H. Babb,1 Matthew C. Lowe,1 Adam T. Yeh,1 Brandon T. Lee,1 and Christopher H. Martin1,2,* 1. Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599; 2. Department of Integrative Biology and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 Submitted May 8, 2018; Accepted September 24, 2018; Electronically published Month XX, 2018 Dryad data: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h8401kn. abstract: Botanical carnivory is a novel feeding strategy associated providing new ecological opportunities (Wainwright et al. with numerous physiological and morphological adaptations. How- 2012; Maia et al. 2013; Martin and Wainwright 2013; Stroud ever, the benefits of these novel carnivorous traits are rarely tested. and Losos 2016). Despite the importance of these traits, our We used field observations, lab experiments, and a seminatural ex- understanding of the adaptive value of novel structures is of- periment to test prey capture function of the marginal spikes on snap ten assumed and rarely directly tested. Frequently, this is be- traps of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). Our field and labora- cause it is difficult or impossible to manipulate the trait with- fi tory results suggested inef cient capture success: fewer than one in four out impairing organismal function in an unintended way; prey encounters led to prey capture. Removing the marginal spikes de- creased the rate of prey capture success for moderate-sized cricket prey however, many carnivorous plant traits do not present this by 90%, but this effect disappeared for larger prey.
    [Show full text]
  • Spring 2014 for Web.Pub
    Spring 2014 Page 1 Botanic Garden News The Botanic Garden Volume 17, No. 1 of Smith College Spring 2014 Orchidelirium at Smith Madelaine Zadik K aren Yu ’16 is a STRIDE scholar who has worked with me since 2012 on educational projects and exhibitions at the Botanic Garden. As a first year, Karen learned about the workings of the Botanic Garden, our plant collections, and our various educational activities, including exhibit production. The plan was that by the end of her two-year STRIDE placement, she would produce an exhibit of her own. She had to hit the ground running, as the exhibit Botanical Printing: Artful Collaborations on Paper and Cloth opened just a month and a half after her arrival. Karen wrote label copy and press releases, learned mounting techniques, helped design the gallery layout with our modular walls, and learned how to use our unique hanging system in the Church Exhibition Gallery. For our next exhibit, From Petals to Paper: Poetic Inspiration from Flowers, Karen was involved in the many months of planning leading up to the installation in March 2013. When given a choice of possible exhibit topics for her own project, Karen chose to use a collection of orchid prints by artist Florence Helen Woolward to create an exhibit that would help illuminate the world of orchids for the visiting public. The prints are from Thesaurus Woolwardiae, Orchids of the Marquis of Lothian, which contained reproductions of 60 of Woolward’s orchid paintings. Woolward produced an impressive body of work, especially considering that she was never formally trained in either art or botany.
    [Show full text]
  • How the Venus Flytrap Kills and Digests Its Prey
    How the Venus Flytrap Kills and Digests Its Prey The sensory hairs that detect the presence of an insect are visible within the red lobes of this trap, which belongs to a Venus flytrap, awaiting a meal. Venus flytraps are the speed demons of the plant world. In spite of belonging to a particularly sedate kingdom of organisms, these carnivorous plants snap shut their two-lobed traps in a tenth of a second to capture an insect meal, which they then digest. Just how they do this is not fully understood, but new research is exploring the mechanisms that allow a plant to become a predator. [Giant Plant Eats Rodents] The Venus flytrap turned to carnivory to survive in the nutrient-poor soil of its native habitat in North and South Carolina, in and around the Green Swamp. To get the nutrition it needs, the flytrap lures insects, including ants and flies, into the jaws of its trap. The trap's reddish interior and small nectar-secreting glands along its rim trick the insects into thinking they have found a flower, said Rainer Hedrich, a biophysicist at the University Wuerzburg in Germany. He and colleagues have revealed how hormones play a role in how the plant snaps up and digests its prey. How the flytrap kills Each side of the trap has three to four sensor hairs, each no longer than 0.2 inches (0.5 centimeters). An insect must trip a hair twice or two hairs within 20 seconds for the trap to respond; this allows it to avoid snapping shut on raindrops or other false alarms.
    [Show full text]
  • Aldrovanda Vesiculosa: Friend Or Foe?
    Waterwheel Aldrovanda vesiculosa: Friend or Foe? By Chris Doyle, CLM Restoring Balance. Enhancing Beauty. April 7, 2016 Waterwheel Aldrovanda vesiculosa • Perennial, Free-floating, Rootless Herbaceous Aquatic Plant • Although it looks like a bladderwort: − Family: Droseraceae (sundews) − Most common: The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) • Carnivorous • Rare, worldwide • Documented in NJ • 2012 Description • Simple or sparsely-branched Stem – Stem is air-filled to aid in floatation – Stem length varies between four to 20 cm long • Whorls Consist of 4 to 9 Leaves – Up to 23 mm in diameter – Petioles tipped with a single trap (Lamina) Waterwheel Growth • Plant Growth is Strictly Directional • Continual senescence of older whorls at posterior end • Terminal apical bud at anterior end • Maintains near constant length during active growth • Growth Rate is Determined by Many Factors • Biotic, Abiotic, and Water Chemistry Growth and Habitat Factors for Waterwheel Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors • Associated Vegetation • Water Temp. – 30-70% cover is optimal • Water Depth – Bladderworts, Emergent – Minimal for turion overwintering Plants • Irradiance Prey Abundance • – 20% to 60% total sunlight optimal – Zooplankton abundance • pH – 6,000 to 20,000/L optimal – 5.0 to 6.8 seems optimal • Predation • Nutrient Loading • Filamentous algae abundance • Water Chemistry – High free CO2 needed Waterwheel Reproduction • Reduced Capacity to Sexually Reproduce – Typical of most aquatic plants – Sporadic/unpredictable flower production • Warmer climates = inc.
    [Show full text]
  • 583–584 Angiosperms 583 *Eudicots and Ceratophyllales
    583 583 > 583–584 Angiosperms These schedules are extensively revised, having been prepared with little reference to earlier editions. 583 *Eudicots and Ceratophyllales Subdivisions are added for eudicots and Ceratophyllales together, for eudicots alone Class here angiosperms (flowering plants), core eudicots For monocots, basal angiosperms, Chloranthales, magnoliids, see 584 See Manual at 583–585 vs. 600; also at 583–584; also at 583 vs. 582.13 .176 98 Mangrove swamp ecology Number built according to instructions under 583–588 Class here comprehensive works on mangroves For mangroves of a specific order or family, see the order or family, e.g., mangroves of family Combretaceae 583.73 .2 *Ceratophyllales Class here Ceratophyllaceae Class here hornworts > 583.3–583.9 Eudicots Class comprehensive works in 583 .3 *Ranunculales, Sabiaceae, Proteales, Trochodendrales, Buxales .34 *Ranunculales Including Berberidaceae, Eupteleaceae, Menispermaceae, Ranunculaceae Including aconites, anemones, barberries, buttercups, Christmas roses, clematises, columbines, delphiniums, hellebores, larkspurs, lesser celandine, mandrake, mayapple, mayflower, monkshoods, moonseeds, wolfsbanes For Fumariaceae, Papaveraceae, Pteridophyllaceae, see 583.35 See also 583.9593 for mandrakes of family Solanaceae .35 *Fumariaceae, Papaveraceae, Pteridophyllaceae Including bleeding hearts, bloodroot, celandines, Dutchman’s breeches, fumitories, poppies See also 583.34 for lesser celandine .37 *Sabiaceae * *Add as instructed under 583–588 1 583 Dewey Decimal Classification
    [Show full text]
  • Snapping Mechanics of the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea Muscipula)
    Snapping mechanics of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) Renate Sachsea,1,2, Anna Westermeierb,c,1,2, Max Mylob,c, Joey Nadasdid, Manfred Bischoffa, Thomas Speckb,c,e, and Simon Poppingab,e aInstitute for Structural Mechanics, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; bPlant Biomechanics Group and Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; cCluster of Excellence livMatS (Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems), Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany; dGrande Ecole MiM (Master in Management), ESSEC (École Supérieure des Sciences Économiques et Commerciales) Business School, 95021 Cergy-Pontoise, France; and eFreiburg Materials Research Center, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany Edited by Julian I. Schroeder, Cell and Developmental Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, and approved May 21, 2020 (received for review February 13, 2020) The mechanical principles for fast snapping in the iconic Venus distribution appears to be approximately linear, which is, as flytrap are not yet fully understood. In this study, we obtained explained below, too coarse to produce finite element (FE) time-resolved strain distributions via three-dimensional digital im- models behaving like the snap-through structures resembling a age correlation (DIC) for the outer and inner trap-lobe surfaces Venus flytrap. Such sudden change from one stable geometric throughout the closing motion. In combination with finite element configuration to another can be best understood by the analysis models, the various possible contributions of the trap tissue layers of equilibrium paths, which are essential for the analysis of the were investigated with respect to the trap’s movement behavior nonlinear deformation behavior of structures, as they allow the and the amount of strain required for snapping.
    [Show full text]
  • Venus Flytrap Conservation
    HerbalGram 114 • May – July 2017 114 • May HerbalGram Modern TCM in Hong Kong • Remembering Fredi Kronenberg • Curcumin Medicinal Chemistry Rose Aroma & Pain Reduction • Garlic & Blood Pressure • Psilocybin & Patients with Cancer Nigella Profile • Venus Flytrap Conservation • Psilocybin & Patients with Cancer • Curcumin Medicinal Chemistry • Modern TCM in Hong Kong • Remembering Fredi Kronenberg in Hong Kong • Remembering Fredi MedicinalTCM Chemistry • Curcumin • Modern with Cancer Conservation & Patients • Psilocybin Flytrap Venus • Nigella Profile The Journal of the American Botanical Council Number 114 | May — July 2017 www.herbalgram.org Venus Flytrap Conservation Nigella Profile US/CAN $6.95 Join more than 190 responsible companies, laboratories, nonprofits, trade associations, media outlets, and others in the international herb and natural products/natural medicine community. Become a valued underwriter of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program, a multi-year, supply chain integrity program providing education about accidental and intentional adulteration of botanical materials and extracts on an international scale. For more details on joining the program, and access to the free publications produced to date, please see www.botanical adulterants.org or contact Denise Meikel at [email protected]. Underwriters, Endorsers, and Supporters of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program* As of May 9, 2017 Financial Underwriters Products, Inc. Australian Self Medication Southwest College of 21st Century Healthcare /Bioclinic Naturals Industry (Australia) Naturopathic Medicine The forces that shaped the southern Oregon landscape endowed it with lofty mountains, AdvoCare International L.P. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Australian Tea Tree Industry University of Bridgeport College Agilent Technologies, Inc. Cottage Association (Australia) of Naturopathic Medicine sheltered valleys and crystal clear rivers.
    [Show full text]
  • Olfactory Prey Attraction in Drosera?
    Technical Refereed Contribution Olfactory prey attraction in Drosera? Andreas Fleischmann • Botanische Staatssammlung München • Menzinger Strasse 67 • D-80638 Munich • Germany • [email protected] Keywords: trap scent, prey attraction, prey analysis, Lepidoptera, ecology, Drosera fragrans, Drosera finlaysoniana, Drosera slackii. The use of scented traps for prey attraction has been reported from a few genera of carnivorous plants: most prominently in the pitcher plant genera, where a sweet honey- or fruit-like scent is detectable to the human nose from the pitchers of some populations of Sarracenia flava, S. alata, S. rubra, S. oreophila, S. leucophylla, and S. minor (Miles et al. 1975; Slack 1979; Juniper et al. 1989; Jürgens et al. 2009; pers. obs.), certain species of Heliamphora (a sweet, honey-like scent is produced from the nectar-spoons of H. tatei, H. neblinae, and H. chimantensis, while the pitchers of H. sarracenioides produce a notable chocolate-like odor when growing under natural or favorable conditions; Fleischmann & McPherson 2010), and the pitchers of some species of Nepenthes (e.g. N. rafflesiana; Moran 1996; Di Giusto et al. 2008). Interestingly, the Venus Flytrap Dionaea also has been discovered to attract prey to its traps not only by the vivid coloration, but also by producing scented volatiles (Kreuzwieser et al. 2014). Furthermore, a weak, musty, fungus-like fragrance is emitted from the leaves of several Pinguicula species such as the five species from the southeastern United States (e.g. P. primuliflora and P. lutea, pers. obs.) and P. vallisneriifolia (Zamora 1995), and was even generalized to be true for the whole genus (Lloyd 1942; Slack 1979).
    [Show full text]
  • Research Article Venus Flytrap Seedlings Show Growth-Related Prey Size Specificity
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Crossref Hindawi Publishing Corporation International Journal of Ecology Volume 2014, Article ID 135207, 8 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/135207 Research Article Venus Flytrap Seedlings Show Growth-Related Prey Size Specificity Christopher R. Hatcher and Adam G. Hart School of Natural and Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Francis Close Hall, Cheltenham, GL50 4AZ, UK Correspondence should be addressed to Christopher R. Hatcher; [email protected] Received 13 December 2013; Revised 28 January 2014; Accepted 4 February 2014; Published 18 March 2014 Academic Editor: Ram C. Sihag Copyright © 2014 C. R. Hatcher and A. G. Hart. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 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.
    [Show full text]
  • Carnivorous Plantsplants –– Classicclassic Perspectivesperspectives Andand Newnew Researchresearch
    CarnivorousCarnivorous plantsplants –– classicclassic perspectivesperspectives andand newnew researchresearch Barry Rice The Nature Conservancy, Davis, USA The ranks of known carnivorous plants have grown to approximately 600 species. We are learning that the relationships between these feeders and their prey are more complex, and perhaps gentler, than previously suspected. Unfortunately, these extraordinary life forms are becoming extinct before we can even document them! Carnivorous plants are able to do four things: they attract, false signals, the trigger hairs must be bent, not once, but trap, digest and absorb animal life forms. While these four two or more times in rapid succession. In effect, the plant abilities may seem remarkable in combination, they are, can count! When the trap first closes, the lobes fit together individually, quite common in the plant kingdom. All very loosely, the marginal spines interweaving to form a plants that produce flowers for the purpose of summoning botanical jail. Prey items that are too small to be worth pollinators are already skilled at attracting animals. Many digesting can quickly escape, and the trap will reopen the plants trap animals at least temporarily, usually for the next day. But, large prey remain trapped, and their purposes of pollination. Digestion may seem odd, but all panicked motions continue to stimulate the trigger hairs. plants produce enzymes that have digestive capabilities – This encourages the traps to seal completely, suffocating carnivorous plants have only relocated the site of enzy- the prey, and to release digestive enzymes. (Children who matic activity to some external pitcher or leaf surface. feed dead flies to their pet Venus flytraps are often disap- Finally, absorption of nutrients is something that all pointed when, the next day, the uninterested plants open plants do (or, at least, all that survive past the cotyledon their traps and reject the inanimate morsels – only live stage).
    [Show full text]
  • Before the Secretary of the Interior Petition to List the Venus Flytrap
    Before the Secretary of the Interior Petition to list the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula Ellis) as Endangered under the 1973 Endangered Species Act October 21, 2016 Figure 1. A healthy Venus Flytrap individual growing in typically sandy soil and open conditions. Photo courtesty of James Fowler. Notice of Petition to: Sally Jewell, Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240 [email protected] Dan Ashe, Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240 [email protected] Bridget Fahey, Chief, Division of Conservation and Classification, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Program, 5275 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22041 [email protected] Cindy Dohner, Regional Director (Region 4) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Southeast Region, 1875 Century Boulevard, NE Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30345 [email protected] Venus Flytrap p. 2 Petitioners: James Affolter Professor of Horticulture, University of Georgia Chair, Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance and Board of Directors, BGCI-US George Briggs Executive Director, The North Carolina Arboretum and President, The North Carolina Arboretum Society Kenneth Cameron Professor of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Director, Wisconsin State Herbarium Jennifer Ceska Conservation Coordinator, State Botanical Garden of Georgia and Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance Sir Peter Crane, Fellow Royal Society President, Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Upperville, VA Dean, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Sciences (former) Director, Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London (former) Jennifer Cruse-Sanders Vice President, Science & Conservation, Atlanta Botanical Garden Robert Evans Natural Areas Protection Manager, Virginia Natural Heritage Program Donald A.
    [Show full text]