Transcript Meat-Eating Plants: Science Fiction or Science??

Carnivorous Plants:
Science Fiction or Science??
Cartoon of the Day!
Cartoons of the Day!
Cartoons of the Day!
Cartoon of the Day!
Organism of the Day!
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Bombardier Beetle:
Pheropsophus verticalis
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When disturbed, the beetle ejects a noxious
chemical spray in a rapid burst of pulses from
special glands in its abdomen. The ejection is
accompanied with a popping sound. A bombardier
beetle produces and stores two reactant chemical
compounds, hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide,
in separate reservoirs in the rear tip of its abdomen.
Spray and Prey…..lol
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Most species of bombardier beetles are
carnivorous, including the larva.[2] The
beetle typically hunts at night for other
insects, but will often congregate with
others of its species when not actively
looking for food.
Burst Fire!
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These reactions release free oxygen and generate
enough heat to bring the mixture to the boiling
point and vaporize about a fifth of it. Under
pressure of the released gases, the valve is forced
closed, and the chemicals are expelled explosively
through openings at the tip of the abdomen. Each
time it does this, it shoots about 70 times very
rapidly. The damage caused can be fatal to
attacking insects and small creatures and is painful
to human skin. Can reach temperatures of 272
degrees F!
Creeping and Crawling
COOL!!!
Watch Video!
What in the world is a
carnivorous plant?
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Must be able to attract,
capture and kill animals
(mostly insects)
Also must digest the
animal
Can survive without
eating meat, though.
Most are small (<1 m
tall) but one vine species
can grow to be 10 m long
Where in the world can I find
these plants?
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Everywhere except Antarctica!!
More abundant in Australia, southeast Asia
and North America
Even Alachua county has them!!
600 species and sub-species, but not all
related to each other
Let’s Review. . .
1) What are the 4 traits of a carnivorous plant?
They attract, capture, kill and digest animals
2) Do non-carnivorous plants share any of these traits?
Non-carnivorous plants can attract insects
3) Do they need to eat meat to survive?
No-they have been grown in labs without meat
4) Where in the world can you find these plants?
Everywhere except Antarctica
5) How many species are there? Are they all related?
600 species and sub-species; they are not all related
(convergent evolution)
What habitat do they live in?
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The genus Utricularia is
aquatic (freshwater)
Mainly found in nutrient
poor wetlands (ex. Bogs)
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Decaying plants release
acidic compounds
Microorganisms cannot
function
Difficult for plants to get
nutrients from acidic soil
Why aren’t all plants meateaters?
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Carnivorous plants have
an advantage over noncarnivorous plants in
nutrient poor habitats
In habitats with more
nutrients, noncarnivorous plants do
better because they do
not have to put energy
into special structures.
Let’s Review. . .
1.
What is the most common habitat of carnivorous plants?
Nutrient poor wetlands.
2. What feature of their habitat allowed them to evolve
carnivory?
The lack of nutrients available in the soil.
3. Why does the habitat have this feature?
pH of water is low, so bacteria cannot help decompose
plants and plants cannot take up nutrients as easily.
4. Why do non-carnivorous plants do better in habitats with
more nutrients?
Because they do not have to put energy into special
structures to capture prey like carnivorous plants do.
What animals do they eat?
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Mostly Insects and spiders
(gnats, flies, moths, wasps,
spiders, butterflies, beetles and
ants)
Freshwater species eat small
water animals and fish and
mosquito larvae
Some capture small
amphibians (frogs) and small
birds and rodents have been
found in some tropical
species!!
Some species even eat insect
and bird excrement!!
How do these plants capture
prey?
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Can be sweet-smelling or
brightly colored to attract
prey to their trap
There are 2 types of traps
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Active: Use rapid
movement (ex. Venus
fly-trap, Utricularia)
Passive: sticky hairs or a
long tube with hairs that
trap prey
Active or Passive?
Let’s Review . . .
1. What do carnivorous plants commonly eat?
Insects, spiders and aquatic plants eat small animals, fish
and mosquito larvae.
2. Name 3 less common things they have been found to eat.
Amphibians, birds and rodents
3. What are the two types of traps they use to catch their
prey?
Active and passive
4. Name a variation of each type of trap.
Active: bladderwort (Utricularia), venus fly trap
(Dionaea). Passive: pitcher plant has a pitfall trap; most
carnivorous plants have sticky hairs.
How do they digest their prey?
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Most produce
digestive enzymes
Some rely on bacteria
Some use both
bacteria and digestive
enzymes
How do we affect carnivorous
plants?
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Only 3-5% of carnivorous
plant habitat left!
Draining wetlands
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Suppressing fire
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Many ecosystems need fire to
stay healthy
Pollution from homes and
agriculture
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For roads, homes, stores and
water
Gets into water and destroys
plants
Poaching the plants: Many
are endangered.
Final Review and Wrap-Up
1) What are the 4 traits of a carnivorous plant? Do non-carnivorous
plants have any of these traits?
Attract, capture, kill and digest animals. Yes, many plants attract
insects for pollination.
2) How many species are there of carnivorous plants? Are they all
related?
600 species and sub-species that are not all related (convergent
evolution)
3) In what habitats and parts of the world are they found?
Found mostly in nutrient poor wetlands everywhere except
Antarctica.
4) What feature of their habitat allowed them to evolve carnivory?
Lack of nutrients
Final Review and Wrap-Up
cont…
1) What are some of their common prey species? Some less common
ones?
Insects and spiders. Less common are amphibians, birds and rodents.
2) What are the two ways they capture their prey?
Active and passive traps.
3) How do they digest their prey (hint: what do some use to help them
digest?)?
Some secrete digestive enzymes, some use enzymes and bacteria to
help them digest (symbiosis).
4) How have humans affected carnivorous plant populations and their
habitat?
Humans have drained wetlands, suppressed fire, polluted water, used
too much water and poached plants.
All pictures used in this powerpoint
presentation were from
www.sarracenia.com
Nursing Plants
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Research Question:
-Does the presence of a nursing plant aid in the growth of
infant plants?
-What species of plant most benefit from a nursing
relationship?
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Develop two hypotheses!
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You will be collecting data to test your hypotheses! YAY
FUN!!!
What does a nursing relationship
look like?
We will be using a radius of 1 foot to judge a nursing relationship. Or
if the plant could b shaded by the larger plant. Use your judgment.
How this will be done!
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You must collect data on 3 different plant
species. A minimum of 15 individuals per
species.
You will take two pieces of data:
1.) Is the plant being nursed? Make a tally
2.) If it is being nursed how tall is the plant?
(to be compared to non-nursed averages I
give you).
Random Sampling
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Nature is random so we are going to treat it
that way. Each table will walk in a straight
line transect to ensure unbiased plant
selection.
I will help you identify the species once we
get out there.
Secret surprise!!!! Scavenger hunt!
Organism of the Day!
Blobfish:
Psychrolutes marcidus
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The blobfish is a fish that inhabits the deep waters
off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania. Due to
the inaccessibility of its habitat, it is rarely seen by
humans.
THE BLOB!!!!AHHH
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Blobfish are found at depths where the pressure is
several dozens of times higher than at sea level,
which would likely make gas bladders inefficient.
To remain buoyant, the flesh of the blobfish is
primarily a gelatinous mass with a density slightly
less than water; this allows the fish to float above
the sea floor without expending energy on
swimming. The relative lack of muscle is not a
disadvantage as it primarily swallows edible matter
that floats by in front it.
Going with the flow….
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Its relative lack of muscle is not a
disadvantage as it primarily swallows
edible matter that floats in front of it.
Blobfish eat invertebrates like crabs and
sea pens.
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The Blobfish are currently endangered due
to deep sea overfishing and sea floor
trawling.
Something’s fishy about this
organism of the day….
Gangsta Blob