Article
Plant Sciences
Edward Owen Norman, Hayden Tuohey, David Pizzi, Milane Saidah, Rachael Bell, Robert Brkljaca, Jonathan M. White, Robin B. Gasser, Aya C. Taki, Sylvia Urban
Summary: Phytochemical profiling of Drosera magna extracts revealed the presence of compounds with significant antimicrobial and anthelmintic activities.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Irene Lichtscheidl, Sue Lancelle, Marieluise Weidinger, Wolfram Adlassnig, Marianne Koller-Peroutka, Sonja Bauer, Stefanie Krammer, Peter K. Hepler
Summary: The mechanism and dynamics of nutrient absorption and transport in Drosera glands were studied using fluorescent albumin and live cell imaging. The formation of fluorescent endosomes in the glands was observed, which accumulated around the nucleus and transferred to other cell types in the tentacle stalk. The ultrastructure of these dynamic processes, including the prominent ER contacts with other organelles, was also assessed using high-pressure frozen and freeze substituted cells.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andrej Pavlovic, Ondrej Vrobel, Petr Tarkowski
Summary: In his book, Charles Darwin observed that the response of sundew plants to stimuli is not triggered by water drops but by dissolved chemicals or mechanical stimulation. This study used modern methods to investigate this 150-year-old mystery. The findings showed that sundew plants have a weak response to water drops but significant changes in enzyme activity and digestive enzyme abundance when exposed to other stimuli.
Article
Plant Sciences
Matthias Freund, Dorothea Graus, Andreas Fleischmann, Kadeem J. Gilbert, Qianshi Lin, Tanya Renner, Christian Stigloher, Victor Albert, Rainer Hedrich, Kenji Fukushima
Summary: To survive in nutrient-poor environments, carnivorous plants have developed traps analogous to animal digestive systems to capture and digest small organisms. These traps modify plant-specific organs, such as leaves, to acquire the ability to break down and absorb nutrients. Digestive glands in carnivorous plants secrete enzymes and other substances to digest prey, while absorbing the released compounds for nutrient uptake.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thilo Krueger, Adam T. Cross, Jeremy Huebner, Jerome Moriniere, Axel Hausmann, Andreas Fleischmann
Summary: Prey spectra play a crucial role in understanding carnivorous plant ecology, yet the study of this aspect is limited. Traditional morphology-based methods for prey identification are time-consuming and require experts. Researchers used a new DNA metabarcoding approach to analyze the prey spectra of carnivorous plants, and found that this method had higher accuracy compared to the traditional morphology-based methods.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hung-Yi Huang, Wen-Yuan Kao
Summary: Successful conservation of rare plants requires understanding of factors limiting their population growth. The study on Drosera indica in Taiwan Island found that the overgrowth of neighboring non-carnivorous plants in the wetland limits light availability for D. indica seed germination, plant growth and seed production, providing valuable management strategies for the conservation of this rare plant.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Kazuki Tagawa, Mikio Watanabe
Summary: Group foraging in Drosera makinoi enables them to trap large prey efficiently, with larger neighboring plant density leading to more large prey captures. Coordinated trap leaves between neighboring plants accounted for approximately 43.4% of events trapping large prey.
PLANT SPECIES BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Kazuki Tagawa, Haruka Osaki, Mikio Watanabe
Summary: This study shows that the rapid flower closure behavior of Drosera tokaiensis serves as a physical defense mechanism against a specific herbivore, Buckleria paludum. The closure of flowers helps protect the ovules from damage, contributing to the reproductive success of D. tokaiensis.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Ong Kok Meng, Ong Pauline, Sia Chee Kiong
Summary: A novel metaheuristic algorithm inspired by carnivorous plants, the carnivorous plant algorithm (CPA), was proposed and validated for solving global optimization problems through experiments.
APPLIED SOFT COMPUTING
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
M. Ortuno-Mendieta, N. A. Hernandez-Alvear, R. E. Alcala
Summary: Despite expectations of costly impacts from herbivory on carnivorous plants, studies on this topic are scarce. In experiments simulating herbivory on Pinguicula moranensis, no significant negative effects on growth, flowering, or survivorship were observed. Additionally, supplementing plants with prey did not improve their performance, suggesting an unexpected ability of P. moranensis to tolerate herbivory.
Article
Plant Sciences
Axel Mithoefer
Summary: Carnivorous plants have a unique feeding strategy and form various interactions with other organisms. However, there is still incomplete understanding of the interactions between carnivorous plants and pollinators, herbivores, and other organisms, which requires further research.
JOURNAL OF PLANT INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Kazuki Tagawa, Yurie Sahara, Mikio Watanabe
Summary: This study found that the production of bud-like flowers in two endemic Drosera species in Japan negatively affects seed production per plant, and that pollinator-excluded flowers produce similar numbers of seeds as control flowers.
PLANT SPECIES BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carl Procko, Ivan Radin, Charlotte Hou, Ryan A. Richardson, Elizabeth S. Haswell, Joanne Chory
Summary: Carnivorous plants, particularly sundews, have evolved unique characteristics in catching and digesting animals. Calcium ion-based hormone signaling pathway is responsible for regulating the expression of genes and movements in response to prey.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qianshi Lin, Cecile Ane, Thomas J. Givnish, Sean W. Graham
Summary: Triantha occidentalis is a carnivorous plant that captures insects on sticky inflorescences, obtaining significant nitrogen transfer from prey to enhance its growth. It is unique in capturing prey solely with sticky traps adjacent to its flowers, while secreting phosphatase through glandular hairs like other carnivorous plants.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Velemir Ninkovic, Dimitrije Markovic, Merlin Rensing
Summary: Volatile organic compounds play a crucial role in mediating interactions between plants and their environment, regulating plant responses to stress and competition. Plant communication mediated by volatiles is complex and context-dependent, shaping plant growth and survival in specific environments. The dialogue between emitter and receiver based on volatile cues determines communication patterns at the community level and ecological implications at other trophic levels.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Haruka Osaki, Shusuke Shimamoto, Eiiti Kasuya
ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Haruka Osaki, Eiiti Kasuya
Summary: This study investigates the mutual wing-eating behavior in mating pairs of wood-feeding cockroaches, which challenges the unilaterality theory of sexual cannibalism and nuptial feeding. The hypothesis based on true monogamy suggests that this behavior could potentially benefit both individuals in terms of offspring rearing, highlighting a new significance in reproductive strategies.
Article
Entomology
Haruka Osaki
Summary: Plant decomposition is a critical part of forest ecosystems, with wood-feeding cockroaches playing a key role in decomposing rotten logs. By using a culture dish and artificial fungal meal, researchers can easily rear these log decomposers and observe their behavior, providing insights into their ecology. This observable rearing system removes limitations for studying plant decomposers and allows for more effective experiments to be conducted.
ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Melbert Schwarz, Gaku Tokuda, Haruka Osaki, Aram Mikaelyan
Summary: This study investigates the digestive strategies of wood-feeding cockroaches and highlights the significant role of the hindgut in cellulase and xylanase activity, similar to certain termites and beetles. The findings shed light on the adaptability of wood-feeding insects and provide insights into their evolutionary success in nutrient-poor substrates.
Article
Biology
Kazuki Tagawa, Haruka Osaki, Mikio Watanabe
Summary: This study shows that the rapid flower closure behavior of Drosera tokaiensis serves as a physical defense mechanism against a specific herbivore, Buckleria paludum. The closure of flowers helps protect the ovules from damage, contributing to the reproductive success of D. tokaiensis.
