Comparative prey spectra analyses on the endangered aquatic carnivorous waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Droseraceae) at several naturalized microsites in the Czech Republic and Germany

0511627 - BÚ 2020 eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Horstmann, M. - Heier, L. - Kruppert, S. - Weiss, L. C. - Tollrian, R. - Adamec, Lubomír - Westermeier, A. - Speck, T. - Poppinga, S.
Comparative prey spectra analyses on the endangered aquatic carnivorous waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Droseraceae) at several naturalized microsites in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Integrative Organismal Biology. Roč. 1, č. 1 (2019), č. článku oby012. E-ISSN 2517-4843
Institucionální podpora: RVO:67985939
Klíčová slova: trapping efficiency * prey composition * prey size
Obor OECD: Plant sciences, botany
Způsob publikování: Open access

The aquatic carnivorous plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Droseraceae) uses underwater snap traps for capturing small aquatic animals, but knowledge on the exact prey species is limited. We performed comparative trap size measurements and snapshot prey analyses at seven Czech and one German naturalized microsites on plants originating from at least two different populations. One Czech site was sampled twice during 2017. We recorded seven main prey taxonomic groups, Cladocera, Copepoda, Ostracoda, Ephemeroptera, Nematocera, Hydrachnidia, and Pulmonata. In total, we recorded 43 different prey taxa in 445 prey-filled traps, containing in sum 461 prey items. With one exception, prey spectra did not correlate with site conditions (e.g. water depth) or trap size. Thus, A. vesiculosa shows no prey specificity but catches opportunistically, independent of prey species, prey mobility mode (swimming or substrate-bound), and speed of movement. As we found a wide prey range captured, it appears unlikely that the capture is enhanced by specialized chemical- or mimicry-based attraction mechanisms.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0301867