BIOB50H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Semibalanus Balanoides, Ecological Niche, Chthamalus Stellatus
Document Summary
Competition in plants that eat animals: a case study. Charles darwin (1875) provided clear experimental evidence of carnivorous plants. Plants use a variety of mechanisms to eat animals. Venus flytrap has modified leaves that look like fanged jaws, yet attract insects with a sweet smelling nectar. Other plants lack moving parts, yet still can eat animals. Pitcher plants, use nectar or visual cues to lure insects into a pitcher-shaped trap. Carnivory in plants may be an adaptation for life in nutrient-poor environments perhaps providing a way to avoid competing with other plants for soil nutrients. Typically, the root systems of carnivorous plants are less extensive than those of non carnivorous plants that live in the same area. Tansley"s work on bedstraws is one of the first experiments ever performed on competition. Competition an interaction between individuals of two species in which each is harmed by their shared use of a resource that limits their ability to grow, survive, or reproduce.
