Selective Bacterial Community Enrichment between the Pitcher Plants Sarracenia minor and Sarracenia flava

This study uses amplicon sequencing to compare the bacterial communities of environmental samples from the detritus of the leaf cavities of Sarracenia minor and Sarracenia flava pitcher plants. We sampled the detritus at the same time and in the same geographic location, eliminating many environmental variables present in other comparative studies.

Exploration of pitcher plants in University of Palangka Raya

Background: This research is a pilot project of plant diversity, especially the pitcher plant species (Nepenthes sp) at Palangka Raya University. The study aimed at identifying the pitcher plants (Nepenthes sp.) at Palangka Raya University. In August-November 2020 conducted this research.Methods: Data on the diversity of pitcher plants were collected using the exploring method. Data analysis used a literature study to identified using the identification book of pitcher plants. Results: The study results found three pitcher plant species in the forest on the campus of Palangka Raya University. The pitcher plants are Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.) Druce, Nepenthes gracilis Korth., and Nepenthes rafflesiana Jack. Conclusions: The range of environmental parameter values ​​is air temperature 28-380C, medium-open coverage, 62-98% humidity, and soil pH of 5-7.5.

How a sticky fluid facilitates prey retention in a carnivorous pitcher plant (Nepenthes rafflesiana)

Nepenthes pitcher plants live in nutrient-poor soils and produce large pitfall traps to obtain additional nutrients from animal prey. Previous research has shown that the digestive secretion in N. rafflesiana is a sticky viscoelastic fluid that is much more effective at retaining insects than water, even after significant dilution. Although the physical properties of the fluid are important for its retentive function, it is unclear how the fluid interacts with insect cuticle and how its sticky nature affects struggling insects. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms behind the efficient prey retention in N. rafflesiana pitcher fluid. By measuring the attractive forces exerted on insect body parts moving in and out of test fluids, we show that it costs insects significantly more energy to separate from pitcher fluid than from water. Moreover, both the maximum force and the energy required for retraction increase after the first contact with the pitcher fluid. We found that insects sink more easily into pitcher fluid than water and, accordingly, the surface tension of N. rafflesiana pitcher fluid was significantly lower than that of water (60.2 vs. 72.3 mN/m). By analysing the pitcher fluid dewetting behaviour, we demonstrate that it strongly resists dewetting from all surfaces tested, leaving behind residual films and filaments that can facilitate re-wetting. This inhibition of dewetting may be a further consequence of the fluid's viscoelastic nature and likely represents a key mechanism underlying prey retention in Nepenthes pitcher plants.

Disentangling the role of surface topography and intrinsic wettability in the prey capture mechanism of Nepenthes pitcher plants

Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with leaves specialised as pitfall traps. Insects are trapped when they ‘aquaplane’ on the pitcher rim (peristome), a surface structured with macroscopic and microscopic radial ridges. What is the functional significance of this hierarchical surface topography? Here, we use insect pad friction measurements, photolithography, wetting experiments and physical modelling to demonstrate that the ridges enhance the traps’ efficacy by satisfying two functional demands on prey capture: Macroscopic ridges restrict lateral but enhance radial spreading of water, thereby creating continuous slippery tracks which facilitate prey capture when little water is present. Microscopic ridges, in turn, ensure that the water film between insect pad and peristome remains stable, causing insects to aquaplane. In combination, the hierarchical ridge structure hence renders the peristome wettable, and water films continuous, so avoiding the need for a strongly hydrophilic surface chemistry, which would compromise resistance to desiccation and attract detrimental contamination.