How carnivorous are carnivorous plants? Exploring nutritional rewards from prey using stable isotope techniques

Laura Skates

doi:10.26182/579p-4905

How carnivorous are carnivorous plants? Exploring nutritional rewards from prey using stable isotope techniques

Laura Skates

Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis

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Abstract

Carnivorous plants are well known for their unusual nutritional strategy: using specialised leaves to capture, digest, and absorb nutrients from prey. Using natural abundance stable isotope techniques, this thesis explores the nutrition and ecology of sticky-leaved carnivorous plants, including Drosophyllum lusitanicum in Mediterranean Europe and several species of Drosera and Byblis in Western Australia. The role of the resident hemipteran Setocoris in the nutrition of Byblis is also explored using isotopic labelling techniques. This research provides insights into the evolution of multiple strategies for nutritional success amongst carnivorous plants. A new definition and conceptual 'spectrum of carnivory' is proposed.

Original language	English
Qualification	Doctor of Philosophy
Awarding Institution	The University of Western Australia
Supervisors/Advisors	Gebauer, Gerhard, Supervisor, External person Cross, Adam, Supervisor Stevens, Jason, Supervisor Dixon, Kingsley, Supervisor Veneklaas, Erik, Supervisor
Thesis sponsors	Australian Government Research Training Program
Award date	7 Sep 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.26182/579p-4905
Publication status	Unpublished - 2021

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10.26182/579p-4905

THESIS - DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - SKATES Laura - 2021
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Cite this

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AB - Carnivorous plants are well known for their unusual nutritional strategy: using specialised leaves to capture, digest, and absorb nutrients from prey. Using natural abundance stable isotope techniques, this thesis explores the nutrition and ecology of sticky-leaved carnivorous plants, including Drosophyllum lusitanicum in Mediterranean Europe and several species of Drosera and Byblis in Western Australia. The role of the resident hemipteran Setocoris in the nutrition of Byblis is also explored using isotopic labelling techniques. This research provides insights into the evolution of multiple strategies for nutritional success amongst carnivorous plants. A new definition and conceptual 'spectrum of carnivory' is proposed.

KW - carnivorous plant

KW - Drosophyllum

KW - Drosera

KW - Byblis

KW - stable isotope

KW - nitrogen

KW - plant ecology

KW - plant nutrtion

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DO - 10.26182/579p-4905

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

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How carnivorous are carnivorous plants? Exploring nutritional rewards from prey using stable isotope techniques

Abstract

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