A Little Bit More
Round-leaved Sundew © Solon Morse
The ability of a plant to capture and “devour” an insect really captures the imagination of people but I’m not sure they understand the underlying reason why this is so important to a plant’s growth. As the unit points out, carnivorous plants are found in areas where most other plants simply can not live. The sterile environments in which they grow provide them with few competitors but they then must deal with a paucity of nutrients for their own growth and reproduction. Carnivorous plants have adapted to this environment by establishing a way to gather nutrients from visiting insects that they would not have otherwise.
There are quite a few species of carnivorous plants in North America but due to their specialized habitat locations, they’re not well known. The Venus Flytrap is certainly our best known example in North America due to books and documentaries that have been devoted to this strange plant but the sundews are more widespread. The Sundew got its name from the tiny dots of thick, sticky substance that really makes the plant look like it’s covered in dew.
Damselfly caught in Round-leaved Sundew © Solon Morse
When an insect lands on a Sundew, and comes in contact with the sticky material on its leaf, its struggles serve only to increase its entanglement. Soon the insect is so mired in the sticky goo that it’s completely trapped. The plant then secretes enzymes and acids that begin to dissolve its prey’s body, slowly incorporating the victim’s minerals within the plant’s structure.
Activities
Science & English – Carnivorous Plants
Objectives: Learn and write about carnivorous plants
Materials: Online access
There are many more carnivorous plants around the world than many people realize. Have your students do some research on these interesting plants and write up a short paper on what they’ve found. Since the websites I’ve included deal with these plants all around the world, make sure they include where their particular plant is found (country) in their paper. Use your judgement on length and content you’d like your students to provide.
International Carnivorous Plant Society
Botanical Society of America
Amateur Grower of Carnivorous Plants
Available Photos of Carnivorous Plants
Key Concepts
Structures and Functions, Predator/Prey Relationships, Identification, Growth and Development, Food Webs /Food Pyramids, Adaptations and Diversity
Questions
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