In Ukraine, carnivorous plants also grow in the wild
In the world of botany, there are species that challenge the usual laws of nature. Instead of peacefully absorbing sunlight, they set traps, suck in prey with a vacuum, or snap their “jaws”.
About the evolution of hunting plants, candidate of biological sciences Aleksey Kovalenko spoke in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
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Main points:
- Why they hunt: The transition to carnivory is a survival strategy in nutrient-poor soils. The main stimulus for developing traps is a critical deficiency of phosphorus, not just nitrogen.
- Global scale: Science knows about 800 species of carnivorous plants. This is just a tiny fraction of the 300,000 species of flora.
- Carnivores in Ukraine: Our wild nature is home to sundews, bladderworts, butterworts, and the rare water aldrovanda.
- Trap mechanisms: Plants use various types of “weapons” – from sticky secretions (sundew) and passive pitchers (pitcher plants) to active jaws (venus flytrap) and vacuum pumps (bladderwort).
- Maximum prey: Although most carnivores feed on insects, some species (Sarracenia) can digest salamanders, while aquatic species can consume fish fry and tadpoles.
- Safety for humans: Carnivorous plants are completely safe for humans and pets. Their enzymes cannot harm the skin, and contact with them does not cause poisoning.
- Carnivorous fungi: Hunting is not limited to plants. For example, the common oyster mushroom hunts roundworms – nematodes.
The evolution of killers: why they started hunting
Most plants obtain energy through photosynthesis, using water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. However, about 800 species (out of 300,000 known to science) have chosen a different path – adding living organisms to their diet.
“Evolutionarily, the transition to carnivory occurred in those plants that grew in poor substrates. They critically lacked nitrogen and phosphorus. Many experiments show that the main factor driving carnivory is indeed the lack of phosphorus,” explains Aleksey Kovalenko.
Interestingly, traps are not always permanent. Some species become carnivorous only “out of necessity”: when there is a nutrient deficiency in the soil, they begin to grow organs for hunting.
Ukrainian realities: where to find carnivores underfoot
Although the most famous venus flytrap in the world grows only in two states in the USA (North and South Carolina), Ukraine has its unique representatives:
- Sundews: They have sticky hairs with “dew,” which is actually a gluey secretion. Three species grow in Ukraine, but due to wetland drainage and climate change, they are becoming increasingly rare.
- Bladderworts: Underwater hunters. Their traps work like vacuum pumps – they instantly suck in prey.
- Butterworts (Pinguicula): They have sticky leaves. Interestingly, they were once used in cheese-making in Germany.
- Aldrovanda: The closest relative of the venus flytrap. This aquatic plant has jaws that snap shut upon contact.
Interesting facts about the flora of Ukraine (infographic by RBC-Ukraine)
Can a plant eat a bird or harm a human?
Despite their fearsome names, these plants are quite safe for humans. However, they are not meant for consumption.
As for larger prey, science knows the following facts:
- Salamanders: Sarracenia purpurea from North America can catch and digest small amphibians.
- Fish and tadpoles: Aldrovanda and bladderworts sometimes feast on fish fry or mosquito larvae.
- Birds: Instances of birds becoming victims have only been documented under cultivation conditions (when a bird accidentally got stuck in a large pitcher of a pitcher plant). In the wild, the plant usually cannot digest such large prey and dies along with it.
“Carnivorous” fungi: oyster mushrooms eat worms
Carnivory is not only characteristic of plants. There are about 200 species of carnivorous fungi in the world. For example, the common oyster mushroom, which many people eat, actively hunts nematodes (roundworms) in the wild.
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Previously, we wrote about houseplants that effectively absorb moisture, protecting homes from mold.
