Patterns of nectar secretion in five Nepenthes species from Brunei Darussalam, Northwest Borneo, and implications for ant-plant relationships

Merbach, Marlis A.; Zizka, Georg; Fiala, Brigitte; Maschwitz, U.; Booth, W. E.

doi:10.1016/s0367-2530(17)30030-0

Cited by 36 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…We discovered the trapping effect of the peristome in the field after a heavy rainfall. Our initial observations on N. bicalcarata had seemingly confirmed earlier reports that the trapping of insects by a Nepenthes pitcher was a rare event witnessed only sporadically (18). However, 1 hr after a heavy afternoon rainfall, we observed a stand of N. bicalcarata visited by numerous Crematogaster ants.…”

Section: Morphologysupporting

confidence: 89%

“…However, data on the prey spectrum and capture efficiency of N. bicalcarata clearly show that pitchers of this species are fully functional insect traps despite the absence of a waxy zone (18,19). Like many other Nepenthes species, N. bicalcarata captures primarily ants (18,20). What is the capture mechanism in this and other species, where no slippery wax crystal surfaces are present?…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…N. ampullaria pitchers were found to accumulate necromass mainly of botanical origin and may thus be considered detritivorous rather than insectivorous (16,17). However, data on the prey spectrum and capture efficiency of N. bicalcarata clearly show that pitchers of this species are fully functional insect traps despite the absence of a waxy zone (18,19). Like many other Nepenthes species, N. bicalcarata captures primarily ants (18,20).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Bohn

Federle

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

680

511

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Pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes have highly specialized leaves adapted to attract, capture, retain, and digest arthropod prey. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the capture of insects, ranging from slippery epicuticular wax crystals to downward-pointing lunate cells and alkaloid secretions that anesthetize insects. Here we report that perhaps the most important capture mechanism has thus far remained overlooked. It is based on special surface properties of the pitcher rim (peristome) and insect ''aquaplaning.'' The peristome is characterized by a regular microstructure with radial ridges of smooth overlapping epidermal cells, which form a series of steps toward the pitcher inside. This surface is completely wettable by nectar secreted at the inner margin of the peristome and by rain water, so that homogenous liquid films cover the surface under humid weather conditions. Only when wet, the peristome surface is slippery for insects, so that most ant visitors become trapped. By measuring friction forces of weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) on the peristome surface of Nepenthes bicalcarata, we demonstrate that the two factors preventing insect attachment to the peristome, i.e., water lubrication and anisotropic surface topography, are effective against different attachment structures of the insect tarsus. Peristome water films disrupt attachment only for the soft adhesive pads but not for the claws, whereas surface topography leads to anisotropic friction only for the claws but not for the adhesive pads. Experiments on Nepenthes alata show that the trapping mechanism of the peristome is also essential in Nepenthes species with waxy inner pitcher walls.

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Section: Morphologysupporting

confidence: 89%

mentioning

confidence: 97%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Bohn

Federle

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

680

511

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“…The leaves of these plants are mug-shaped organs specialized for attracting, capturing, retaining and digesting the prey. Arthropods attracted by extrafloral nectar and optical/ olfactory cues (Moran 1996;Moran et al 1999;Merbach et al 2001) lose their foothold and fall into the digestive fluid which fills the lower part of the pitcher (Clarke & Wong 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Harmless nectar source or deadly trap:Nepenthespitchers are activated by rain, condensation and nectar

2007

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The leaves of Nepenthes pitcher plants are specialized pitfall traps which capture and digest arthropod prey. In many species, insects become trapped by 'aquaplaning' on the wet pitcher rim (peristome). Here we investigate the ecological implications of this capture mechanism in Nepenthes rafflesiana var. typica. We combine meteorological data and continuous field measurements of peristome wetness using electrical conductance with experimental assessments of the pitchers' capture efficiency. Our results demonstrate that pitchers can be highly effective traps with capture rates as high as 80% but completely ineffective at other times. These dramatic changes are due to the wetting condition of the peristome. Variation of peristome wetness and capture efficiency was perfectly synchronous, and caused by rain, condensation and nectar secreted from peristome nectaries. The presence of nectar on the peristome increased surface wetness mainly indirectly by its hygroscopic properties. Experiments confirmed that pitchers with removed peristome nectaries remained generally drier and captured prey less efficiently than untreated controls. This role of nectar in prey capture represents a novel function of plant nectar. We propose that the intermittent and unpredictable activation of Nepenthes pitcher traps facilitates ant recruitment and constitutes a strategy to maximize prey capture.

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“…The ability to derive nitrogen and phosphorus from trapped insects enables pitcher plants to thrive where most other plants fail. Prey is attracted to pitchers by visual and olfactory cues (19)(20)(21)(22) and lured to the slippery trapping surfaces by the secretion of sugary nectar (23)(24)(25). The ubiquitous trapping surface is the upper pitcher rim, called the peristome.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanism for rapid passive-dynamic prey capture in a pitcher plant

Bauer

Paulin

Robert

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Plants use rapid movements to disperse seed, spores, or pollen and catch animal prey. Most rapid-release mechanisms only work once and, if repeatable, regaining the prerelease state is a slow and costly process. We present an encompassing mechanism for a rapid, repeatable, passive-dynamic motion used by a carnivorous pitcher plant to catch prey. Nepenthes gracilis uses the impact of rain drops to catapult insects from the underside of the canopy-like pitcher lid into the fluid-filled trap below. High-speed video and laser vibrometry revealed that the lid acts as a torsional spring system, driven by rain drops. During the initial downstroke, the tip of the lid reached peak velocities similar to fast animal motions and an order of magnitude faster than the snap traps of Venus flytraps and catapulting tentacles of the sundew Drosera glanduligera. In contrast to these active movements, the N. gracilis lid oscillation requires neither mechanical preloading nor metabolic energy, and its repeatability is only limited by the intensity and duration of rainfall. The underside of the lid is coated with friction-reducing wax crystals, making insects more vulnerable to perturbations. We show that the trapping success of N. gracilis relies on the combination of material stiffness adapted for momentum transfer and the antiadhesive properties of the wax crystal surface. The impact-driven oscillation of the N. gracilis lid represents a new kind of rapid plant movement with adaptive function. Our findings establish the existence of a continuum between active and passive trapping mechanisms in carnivorous plants.

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Patterns of nectar secretion in five Nepenthes species from Brunei Darussalam, Northwest Borneo, and implications for ant-plant relationships

Cited by 36 publications

References 6 publications

Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Harmless nectar source or deadly trap:Nepenthespitchers are activated by rain, condensation and nectar

Mechanism for rapid passive-dynamic prey capture in a pitcher plant

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