Carnivorous Plants Flashcards
What causes closing of carnivorous plants?
Potassium transfer gives energy for hydraulics.
How does a carnivorous plant know there is a bug?
It doesn’t. The hairs need to be stimulated multiple times to cross the energy barrier too close.
That way it doesn’t close in the wind.
What do carnivorous plants get from animals?
Nitrogen to build proteins.
What is the compound that breaks down animals in some carnivorous plants?
Chitinase in a mixture of water.
What is the significance of Chitinase for people?
It was used to make the first antifungal drug.
How did plants evolve to be carnivorous?
In most environments fungal infections were likely to occur, so chitinase was important. It just so happened that chitinase could also be used for carnivorous purposes. (accidental)
Define exaptation.
Evolution for an accidental purpose.
Where are carnivorous plants found?
In environments not suitable for other plants. Soil conditions are too acidic for other plants.
What makes Soil acidic?
Excess hydrogen atoms.
This leads the free nutrients bound up in hydrogen bonds and unable to be used by plants.
Why do some plants eat animals?
Because they aren’t good at competing with other pants so they found alternative sources.
What nutrients to plants need?
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Insufficient of these nutirents will limit growth in plants.
What major protein needs nitrogen?
Rubisco
Where do plants typically get nitrogen?
Nitrogen fixing bacteria change the nitrogen into a usable form for plants from dead stuff.
What kind of Nitrogen is found in the atmosphere?
N2
What kind of nitrogen is usable by plants?
NH4+, NO2-
Ammonium and Nitrites
