Contrasting growth effects of prey capture in two aquatic carnivorous plant species

0347399 - BÚ 2011 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Adamec, Lubomír - Sirová, Dagmara - Vrba, J.
Contrasting growth effects of prey capture in two aquatic carnivorous plant species.
Fundamental and Applied Limnology. Roč. 176, č. 2 (2010), s. 153-160. ISSN 1863-9135. E-ISSN 1863-9135
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516; CEZ:AV0Z60170517
Keywords : Aldrovanda vesiculosa * Utricularia australis * shoot mineral nutrient content
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 1.108, year: 2010

A detailed 11-day growth analysis was performed under greenhouse conditions on two aquatic, carnivorous plants to determine growth effects caused by supplemental feeding on zooplankton. While a highly significant increase in shoot biomass (by 60 %) was found for Aldrovanda vesiculosa plants supplemented with prey, no significant effect of prey addition occurred in Utricularia australis. However, main shoots of fed plants of both species were significantly longer, had more mature leaf nodes, and their mean apical growth rate was higher than in unfed plants. Branching was markedly supported by prey in Aldrovanda only. Feeding significantly increased the structural investment in carnivory in Utricularia but had no effect on Aldrovanda, although significantly increasing maximum trap length in both species. In Aldrovanda, a large proportion of N, P, K, and Mg consumption could be recovered from prey.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0188185