Research work plants predators material (Grade 2) on the topic. Research work "predator plants" Research work plants predators
MBOU "Taksimovskaya secondary school No. 1
them. Mezentseva A.A»
"Plants are carnivores"
Nomination: Natural science
Pupil 2 "A" class, 8 years old
Scientific adviser:
Pilikhovskaya
Alexandra Olegovna
Primary school teacher
town Taksimo 2015
Table of contents
Introduction 1
Main part 2
a) Historical information about predator plants.
b) Groups of carnivorous plants. 3
c) Why do predatory plants hunt insects. 4
d) The use of plants - predators in medicine. 4
3. Conclusion 5
4. Review 6
5. Literature 7
6. Application 8
1. Introduction
We all know that on our planet there is a very beautiful creation of nature - flowers and plants. They can be admired, they can be given. And recently I learned that there are flowers and plants on Earth that have chosen an amazing way to get their nutrients. They catch and digest insects. Such plants are calledplant predators .
This intrigued me because beforeI believed that in order for flowers and plants to grow, it was enough to pour water on them and provide them with light. That flowers are predators is fantastic fiction. But it turns out that such plants exist and this is not fiction. So I thought about whether these plants are dangerous for people.
Problem: Predatory plants can bring danger or benefit.
The purpose of our study : to identify the reasons why plants have turned into predators and are they dangerous to humans?
Before work were, put the following tasks :
Theoretical:
Learn about carnivorous plants.
Consider the characteristics of these plants;
To identify the causes and conditions for the transformation of plants into predators.
Practical:
Conduct a student survey
Create a presentation and layout of a carnivorous plant.
Object of study : Carnivorous plants
Research methods : Get information from books. Internet; analysis; survey; observation; comparison; generalization.
Hypothesis : if plants "eat" insects, then this is necessary in order to survive in the environment.
Before work we conducted a survey among grades 2 and 4, whether they know about the existence of such plants, whether they can name them. The survey we conducted showed us that out of 74 respondents, only 10% know about such plants, 30% believe that it is fantasy, there are such plants, but only in films and fairy tales, 10% that there are no such flowers on the planet.
Therefore, the significance of this work is relevant because : Predatory plants are found all over the planet, the guys should know that there are such plants, that these are not fantastic inventions.
Expected Result : Guys, they will be more attentive to unfamiliar plants
Historical information about predatory plants.
Predatory plants were discovered in the middle of the 18th century. ResearchersJohn Ellis , Charles Darwin studied these plants of their behavior, fed insects. In nature, animals usually eat plants, but here the opposite is true. Of course, plants, having become predators, do not start running through the forest like lions, rams, or swimming in rivers like snakes and crocodiles. It took scientists more than a hundred years to prove that such plants exist.
One of the most common predator plants, which is also found in Siberia, issundew .
Sundew - It got its name from the droplets of liquid on the leaves. They are sticky enough to hold the insect. Fortunately for all lovers of predatory flowers, sundew can be grown at home. Of course, it requires special care. Constantly feeding insects or pieces of meat.
Venus flytrap .
Sticky, thick mucus and three hairs stand out on the leaves. As soon as an insect touches these hairs, the leaves of the flycatcher slam shut.It is one of the fastest moving plants in the world. . Children and adults love it very much, they put their fingers in it and watch how the small soft mouth closes.
Pemphigus
They mainly grow in ponds and swamps. On the leaves are small bubbles that have a hole that opens only inward. Outside, the hole is covered with hairs. As soon as some small aquatic animal touches the hairs, the valve opens abruptly, and the prey, along with water, is sucked into the vial.
Genlisey- They catch prey with the help of a tube, inside of which there are hairs. Insects caught in the trap are guided by hairs into the trap, where the digestion process takes place. Digestion of prey takes only a few minutes.
Nepenthes These carnivorous plants are pitcher-shaped. Insects are attracted by the bright color and sweetish smell emitted by the plant. They climb into it and then fall to the bottom. There, the prey is digested for several hours.
Giant Nepenthes- It is the largest carnivorous plant. It is not surprising that small birds often become its victims, although its main “diet” is still insects.
Zhiryanka - Translated from the Latin name zhiryanka means "fat". So it was named because of the liquid secreted for catching insects, which is similar to fat. In the people, zhiryanka is called oil grass. In total, about 45 species of fatwort grow on Earth. Of these, 6 grows in Russia.
2. Groups of carnivorous plants
Scientists divide green predators into three groups: grabbing, sticking, and just waiting.
1. Grasping plants -hunters are active, grab the victim without delay. These include the Venus flytrap.
2.Adhesive are not so decisive. They glue their prey first. For example, sundew.
3.Just waiting are passive predators. They wait until the prey itself climbs into the trap. These are plants such as Nepenthes.
All carnivorous plants lure their victims with bright colors, aroma, sweet secretions. Tired after a day's work, the insects sit down to rest on the bright leaves of the plant and ... are captured.
3. Why do carnivorous plants hunt insects? .
Carnivorous plants, like others, have green parts. This means that the cells of predator plants containchlorophyll . Therefore, such plants also participate in photosynthesis, providing themselves with water and sugar.
Why do plants prey on insects? What do they lack? They lack salt, especiallynitrogen salts . Studying plants, predators, we found out that they grow, as a rule, in swamps, in swampy and humid places - where most plants simply cannot survive due to lack of nutrients. And predatory plants feel great in such conditions, because they replenish the diet with animal food.
4. The use of carnivorous plants in medicine .
Having studied the literature about these plants, we found out that some carnivorous plants are of great benefit to humans. For example, a carnivorous plantSundew . This plant helps with respiratory diseases, asthma and bronchitis. Colds, tuberculosis, treatment of epilepsy.
Same in medicinezhiryanka used as a cough suppressant for whooping cough. In the North of Scandinavia and on the Kola Peninsula, the leaves of butterwort are put into fresh milk. Under the influence of the juice of the plant, it turns into a cheese with an original taste and smell.
We turned to the district pharmacies of the Taksimo village with a question, do they often buy sundew in pharmacies? And we received an answer that in its pure form, sundew as a herb is not sold, it is included in the composition of medicines, it is mainly taken by people who suffer from respiratory diseases.
5. Conclusion.
In my research work, I considered the methods of hunting only some carnivorous plants. In total, about 500 species of such plants grow on Earth.
The tasks set by me were completed. I systematized the theoretical material, created a presentation, and a model of a carnivorous plant. In the course of the study, I found out how predatory plants differ from other plants, how different predatory plants hunt, why they do it. I also managed to find out that scientists are now studying green predators.
Thus myhypothesis was confirmed . Many plants grow in soils so poor that they lack nutrients from the soil. They lack nitrogen, which is scarce in swampy, dry and stony soils. Plants got out of the situation and began to catch insects.
Predatory plants are the most amazing and mysterious plants on Earth. They need to be protected. Many of them are already under human protection.
Review
for scientific work Karpov Artemy
Pupil 2 "A" class MBOU TSOSH No. 1 named after. Mezentseva A.A.
"I am a researcher"
In this work, the author investigates plants-predators. The relevance of the topic is due to the fact that these plants will melt in different parts of our planet, but most people, not even knowing about their existence, do not think that these plants play a big role in their lives.
The central issue of the study is to study these flowers, why plants have become predators and whether they are dangerous to humans. Artemy found out the history of the origin of plants, conducted a survey among primary school students, had a conversation with the pharmacist of the Fitopharm pharmacy Bilalova Zinaida Eduardovna, and concluded that it was necessary to conduct explanatory work among primary school students.
The author managed to systematize and generalize the collected material. Based on the results of the study, the student created a model of a carnivorous plant, showed a presentation about carnivorous plants at the classroom hour. This work of the student caused a positive response from the students. Many guys have learned that predatory plants are not fiction or fantasy, that such plants actually exist, that they do not pose a danger to humans, and many even are beneficial. . The assigned tasks were completed.
Thus, this work is of practical importance.
This work received a positive assessment at the intra-school scientific and practical conference and was selected for presentation at the district competition "I am a researcher",
19.03.15 Supervisor: Pilikhovskaya A.O.
Used Books
1. Tarabarina T. I., Sokolova E. I. Both study and play: natural history. - Yaroslavl: Academy of Development, 1998.
2. Big encyclopedia of nature. T.6. Plant life. - Moscow: World of Books, 2003.
3. ABC of nature. - Moscow: Reader's Digest, 2001.
4. Plants. Complete encyclopedia. - Moscow: Eksmo, 2005.
5. Encyclopedic dictionary of a young naturalist. - Moscow: Pedagogy, 1981.
6. Children's encyclopedia “Plants and animals. T.4” - Moscow: Pedagogy, 1973.
7. Encyclopedia of Plants 2001
8. A site about indoor plants for flower growers-maniacs and just lovers - Leto.
9. Magazine-gardener No. 3 2005
Application
Student survey
1. Do you know about the existence of predator plants?
2. What predator plants do you know?
3. why do you think they were called that?
Survey of the pharmacist of the Phytofarm pharmacy
Do they often buy Rosyanka in pharmacies?
For the treatment of which diseases use "Rosyanka"
Sokolov Ilya
Project Manager:
Frolova Natalya Yakovlevna
Institution:
MAOU "Gymnasium of the city of Labytnangi"
IN research work on the surrounding world on the topic "Plants-predators in the South Yamal" I am going to find predator plants during expeditions in the expanses of South Yamal, to learn the characteristics of the growth of predator plants from various sources.
With this research project on the outside world "Plants-predators in the South Yamal" I will definitely acquaint the students of my class.
I decided to conduct a research work (project) on the surrounding world "Plants-predators in South Yamal" in elementary school in order to find out which of the plants-predators grow on the territory of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, or rather in South Yamal.
Introduction
1.Main part
conclusions
Introduction
My favorite TV channel is National Geographic. Once I was watching a program about predatory plants in the rainforests. The program said that such plants feed mainly on insects and grow on nutrient-poor substrates (soil, trees, etc.).
While rewatching my favorite TV channel, National Geographic, I was surprised by such predatory plants as the Philippine Nepenthes and the South African Royal Sundew.
Yamal has soils with low nutrient content and a lot of insects, especially mosquitoes and midges.
Hypothesis: If there are a lot of insects and nutrient-poor soils on Yamal, perhaps we also have predator plants.
Target: Find predator plants during our expeditions.
Tasks:
1. Find out the lifestyle features of predator plants from available sources.
2. Find out what predator plants grow on the territory of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, in particular in the South Yamal.
1. Main body
For the last 7 years, together with my parents, I have been going on scientific expeditions to the Erkuta River basin and picking mushrooms and berries near the city of Labytnangi. In August 2016, field work was carried out in 2 locations in the southern part of Yamal.
Botanists, colleagues of my parents, informed me that 3 species of predator plants live in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug: 
- Rosyanka round-leaved;
Zhiryanka alpine;
In the vicinity of Labytnangi and in the basin of the river. Erkut we found only 1 species of plant-predator - Zhiryanka common.
Zhiryanka grows in moist moss swamps, along damp river banks and on heaving mounds. 
The fleshy leaves of the butterflies are collected in a basal rosette and covered with sticky mucus (“fat”).
Insects that stick to the leaves cause the leaves to slowly curl with their movements.
Adhering animals are digested with the help of enzymes that the plant secretes.
Zhiryanka grows in small groups of 10-25 plants. 
Department of Education of the Novoorsky District Administration
Orenburg region.
Municipal educational institution
"First Novoorsk Lyceum"
Research
"Why did some plants become predators?"
Completed by: 3rd grade student
Rasmukhambetova Karina
Work manager:
Volkova Olga Yurievna,
primary school teacher
Novoorsk, 2009
Chapter 1. Origin of plants - predators…………………….6 - 20
Species of "insectivorous"…………………………………….10 - 14
Features and growing conditions…………………...14 - 20
Is it possible to tame plants - predators? .............................. 21 - 22
Loss of predation………………………………………...23 - 26
Literature………………………………………………………………29
Introduction
It's good that there are plants on Earth. How much joy their beauty gives us! Probably everyone has heard the expression: "Plants are the green clothes of the Earth." And, indeed, on Earth almost everywhere there are representatives of this kingdom of wildlife. The green outfit makes our planet amazingly beautiful!
“The mosquito went down to the swamp, sat down on a blade of grass.
Asks Gravinka:
Are you Rosyanka - Mosquito Death?
Look, Mosquito, at my flowers.
The mosquito looked at the flowers. White flowers in green bells.
The sun behind a cloud, - flowers in bells. The sun from the clouds - and flowers
look out.
Komar says to a blade of grass:
Your flowers are good! Have you seen Rosyanka - Mosquito Death?
Look, Mosquito, at my spikelet...
The mosquito looked at the spikelet.
The spikelet is straight, green, slender.
Komar says to a blade of grass:
Wow spikelet. But have you heard about Rosyanka - Mosquito Death?
Look, Mosquito, at my leaves!
The mosquito looked at the leaves. Round leaves lie on the ground, along the edges of their frequent pins, on the pins there is honeydew droplets.
When Komar saw those droplets, he immediately wanted to drink. Flew on a leaf
he put his sock into the drop and began to drink the honey dew.
She flew past the Dragonfly, saw a Mosquito on a piece of paper and said:
Mosquito Rosyanka caught!
The mosquito wanted to flap its wings, - the wings stuck to the leaf; wanted
step with your feet, - your legs got stuck; I wanted to pull my nose out - my nose stuck!
The flexible pins bent, pierced into the mosquito's body, pressed the Mosquito to the leaf, and Rosyanka drank the mosquito's blood, as the Mosquito drank animal, bird and human blood.
Then Komaru and death came.
And Rosyanka still lives in the swamp and waits for other mosquitoes.
Since then, I have become interested in any information about such plants.
And I always asked myself the same question: why did some plants become predators?
In this regard, a problem arises: can "insectivorous" plants do without predation?
The purpose of my work: to identify the reasons why plants have turned into predators.
Object of study are families of "insectivorous" plants.
Subject of research are ways of adapting plants - predators to the conditions of their habitat.
I have put the following tasks:
To study historical information about plants - predators;
To study the types of "insectivorous" plants;
Consider the characteristics of these plants;
To identify the causes and conditions for the transformation of plants into predators.
Based on literary sources, I put forward the following hypothesis: if plants "eat" insects, then this is necessary in order to survive in the surrounding (in a hostile) environment.
If you thought that predatory plants are from the realm of fantasy, then I can please you: this is the most real reality. According to various sources, about 400-500 species of carnivorous plants are known. All of them get part of their nutrients from animals (mostly insects), which they catch in various ingenious ways. And when did information about these amazing plants first appear?
Chapter 1. The origin of plants - predators.
The first information about plants - predators.
In 1782, the German physician A. W. Roth described the peculiar movements made by sundew leaves to catch insects, and developed Ellis's idea that the captured invertebrates are a food source for such plants.
In 1791, W. Bartram, in a book about his travels in the states of North America, described plants that had pitcher leaves for catching insects. He was also the first to use the term "carnivorous plants".
At the beginning of the 19th century, a number of new genera and species belonging to this group of plants were described. So, Kortals in 1835 described the phenomenon of insectivorousness in plants of the genus Nepenthes.
Soon there were works devoted to a deep study of the characteristics of such plants. In 1861, Auger de Lassu described the sensitivity to touch and movements of the leaves of plants of the genus Aldrovanda. In 1868, Canby first pointed out the digestive properties of the juice secreted by the glands on the leaves of the Venus flytrap.
The next step in the study of insectivorous plants was the research work of Charles Darwin, which began with observations of sundews in 1860. At the same time, Darwin set up a series of laboratory experiments that grew into research. Darwin was so captivated by this work that in a letter to Lyell he writes: I am now more interested in these plants than in the origin of all species in the world. Darwin for a long time did not dare to publish the results of his research. Only 15 years later, when they were supplemented by other researchers, he published the book "Insectivorous Plants" (1875). The second edition of Insectivorous Plants, with large additions written by his son, appeared after Darwin's death, in 1888.
Carnivorous plants have become the true embodiment of the mystery and ignorance of wildlife. They conquer us with their ingenuity, excellent adaptability to a hostile environment and simply their beauty. If you stick to the truth, then you should, of course, call them insectivorous, and not predatory. But the myth of killer plants still continues to exist.
Reliable proof that the cannibal tree is not fiction at all, but actually exists, was obtained almost a hundred years later, in the middle of the now past XX century. There is a hard-to-reach area in the border province of Northern Rhodesia. This vast territory, where only 250 thousand people lived, is covered with impenetrable jungle and has long been notorious among the local inhabitants of the Barotse tribe. And after several European hunters who went on safari from the town of Mujanga disappeared without a trace, rumors spread that some kind of monster devouring people lives in the jungle.
The German naturalist Klaus von Schwimmer went with two Englishmen to explore. Trying not to make any noise, they had already moved a good distance from the camp, when the breeze carried a thick, spicy smell, completely unusual for a rainforest. Experienced travelers are wary: anything unusual in the jungle can be dangerous. After a brief consultation, the hunters nevertheless moved in the direction from which the intoxicating aroma emanated. Soon the jungle began to thin out, and people came to a large round clearing 80-100 meters in diameter. It was covered with short grass, and in the center stood a lone tree. More precisely, a tree-grove, similar to the Indian banyan-epiphyte: in addition to the main trunk, the lush crown was supported by numerous processes as thick as an arm. A green canopy of vines hung from the branches on all sides. As soon as Klaus and his companions stepped into the clearing, a wave of intoxicating smell washed over them and an irresistible desire arose to approach the unusual plant. John and Ted had already taken their first steps towards him when Schwimmer raised the binoculars to his eyes and stopped them with a desperate cry: - Get back! This is a trap! The tree lures us with its scent! Beneath it are the bones of the victims! His scream made John and Ted stop. However, both continued to stare at the green predator, ready to move towards it again. Klaus had to give them a couple of slaps in the face before they looked at him with meaningful eyes. And only after a few minutes the British gradually came to their senses. The hunters came to the conclusion that it was all about the smell emanating from the tree, which acts like a powerful drug. So before they got closer to examine the unusual plant, they plugged their nostrils with chewing gum. Having approached the monster about five meters, the researchers began to look at the carpet of bones that covered the ground under it. These were the remains of small animals. To find out how the tree devours its prey, Schwimmer decided to throw bait to it. Ted at the edge of the clearing managed to shoot a vulture. Then, approaching about three meters to the monster, he threw the still warm bird at him with all his might. The reaction of the predator was instantaneous. When the carcass crashed into a curtain of vines hanging from the branches, they came to life and wrapped themselves around the neck, not even letting it fall to the ground. Right on the edge of the clearing, the hunters staged a council of war. After all that had happened, Schwimmer came to the conclusion: there is no point in looking for an unknown beast - it simply does not exist. And the vague rumors about some kind of bloodthirsty monster devouring people are most likely generated by a carnivorous plant. Perhaps the tribes know about it, but are silent, because the carnivorous tree is sacred to them. Before leaving the terrible clearing, the hunters marked its location on the map and wrote down the coordinates.
Upon returning to the camp, Schwimmer told the leader of the tribe about what had happened. He listened to him with a calm look and said: the customs of the kwang require the destruction of the enemy who shed the blood of their tribesman.
Despite the objections of Klaus and his statement that the monster tree is of great interest to science, the next day the punitive expedition led by the leader set out from the camp. Covering their nostrils with balls of tree resin, the Negroes dragged deadwood into the clearing for two hours. Then, not coming too close to the monster, so as not to be attacked by vines, they began to set fire to armfuls of dry branches and throw them at the "enemy", gradually narrowing the circle. In the end, the carnivorous plant turned into a huge blazing fire. When it burned down, only a thick layer of ash remained in its place, covering the bones of the victims. A year later, the Brussels Tropical Institute organized an expedition to Northern Rhodesia, which managed to find a "meadow of death" with a huge number of bones of various animals and human remains. This was the strongest and, unfortunately, the last evidence of the existence of a carnivorous tree. Shortly thereafter, the colonial authorities declared a vast area in the upper reaches of the Kalombo River closed to European hunters and foreigners in general. And such legends exist to this day.
2. Types of "insectivores"
Insectivorous plants are found in all ecosystems where flowering plants can grow - from the Arctic to the tropics and from sea level to the alpine belt of mountains. They are known on all inhabited continents, with a predominant distribution in areas with a warm, temperate and tropical climate.
All insectivorous plants can be divided into two groups according to the mechanism of catching:
Actively catching - with actively moving organs for catching insects (dew, flycatcher)
Passively catching (pemphigus, nepenthes, sarracenia).
The upper side of the leaf of this plant is covered
small droplets resembling dew.
Leaves of tropical sundews resemble a necklace
from many hundreds of beads sparkling in the sun -
dewdrops. But this deadly necklace and woe
rice. 1 Sundew to the insect that touches it.
Attracted by the brilliance of the droplets, the reddish color of the leaf and its
smell, the insect gets stuck in a sticky surface.
Among other insectivorous plants 
responds most quickly to its prey
Venus flytrap. Large white flowers
collected in terminal few-flowered inflorescences
at the top of the peduncle. Fruit - uneven
cracking box filled
fig. 2 Venus flytrap with two dozen shiny black seeds,
and surrounded by withered petals. The flytrap trap works in a split second. Attempts by the insect to free itself from this "living trap" lead to an even tighter closing of the valves.
Leaves transformed into traps 
darlingtonia resemble prepared for
attacked by a cobra with a swollen neck. Attracted
By the emitted smell, insects fall into storage traps, from which they can no longer get out.
fig.3 Darlingtonia They dissolve in digestive juices, and the plant receives the necessary nutrient substances. But this is like an additional dish, the main ones come through the root system. Very beautiful yellowish or red-brown flowers on long stems appear in June. It is very difficult to adapt Darlingtonia to room conditions. Best of all, it takes root in special greenhouse boxes, protected from low temperatures by moss or leaves. Staying in the dark during (period of) rest does not harm them. The best substrate for them was ordinary peat.
fig.4 Cephalatus
Cephalotus grows in relatively dry places along the outskirts of peat bogs. It is a small herbaceous plant with an underground rhizome. The variegated color of the jug and the abundance of glands imitate a flower and thus serve as bait for flying insects. Enticed by the secretions of these glands, the insect moves towards the mouth of the jug and approaches its cavity, where the insect licks the surface of the collar for a long time before moving further down. Once on the inner side of the very smooth and slippery mouth of the urn, it easily slides down and almost inevitably becomes a victim of the cephalothus. The main victims of cephalotus are ants.
rice. 5 Rosolit
Rose leaf is one of the most remarkable carnivorous plants that grows in Portugal and Morocco. The plant differs from other insectivores both in its appearance and, in particular, in its biological characteristics. It does not grow in damp swampy places, like our sundew, but in dry mountains, on sandy, often even stony soil. On the rosolith there are small, sessile glands, almost colorless, they secrete droplets of a colorless sticky and acidic liquid only under the influence of nitrogenous bodies touching them. When an insect lands on a rosolith leaf, all its parts are quickly glued together by the secretions of the sessile glands, but the animal can, nevertheless, at first, although slowly, but still move, since the sticky liquid of the glands is easily separated from the latter. After a short period of time, the insect is completely covered with drops of secretions from other glands, already loses the ability to move, dies and falls on the underlying columnar glands, which, with the help of their secretions, extract everything soluble from the corpse and suck it up.
fig.6 Heliamphora
The Latin name of plants can be translated as "swamp jug" (Greek helos - "swamp"). It is curious that this is also one of the local names of the plant. The leaves of heliamphora really resemble the shape of water vessels with wide open necks. The edges of the sheet are brought together and, as it were, connected by a well-marked seam. The tip of the sheet is turned into a kind of "cap". Its dimensions are small, it closes the entrance to the trap rather symbolically. The cap is brightly colored. Often she plays the role of a visual bait for future victims. Rain water accumulates inside the pitcher. Its inner walls are covered with smooth, downward-pointing outgrowths. Insects that sit on them slide down, drown in the liquid of the jug and gradually decompose in it.
3.Features and growing conditions
Plants use five main types of traps to catch prey:
Trapping leaves in the form of pitchers;
Leaves that close in the form of traps;
sticky traps;
suction traps;
Traps - crabs.
Let's consider some of them.
Traps in the form of a jug
rice. 7 Nepenthes
The leaf blades of a number of carnivorous plants are pitcher-shaped. Insects, attracted by the bright color of the jar or the smell of a sugary substance secreted by the plant, climb into it, and then fall to the bottom, into a liquid containing digestive enzymes. There, the prey is digested for several hours, after which the nutrients are absorbed and absorbed by the plant.
There are several reasons that prevent prey from getting out:
Serrated edges of the jug's throat hanging from above;
An intoxicating substance contained in a sugary liquid that lulls the victim;
The “lid” hanging over the jug, which disorients the insect;
Very slippery inner surface of the jug, from which even insects that can stay on the glass slide off.
slamming traps
fig.8 Venus flytrap
The leaves of plants using the "hunting" method look like a miniature trap. A prominent representative of such plants is the Venus flytrap. Its leaves with serrated edges consist of two halves, equipped with sensitive hairs that react to touch. Glands located along the edges of the trap secrete nectar that attracts insects. If the victim touches sensitive hairs, the halves of the leaf slam shut, and the teeth go behind each other, preventing it from getting out. However, small insects, insufficiently nutritious for carnivorous plants, usually manage to slip between the teeth. In this case, the trap opens again. The Venus flytrap is one of the few plants capable of rapid movement. Its leaves close in about 0.2 seconds. In addition, the flytrap is able to distinguish between living and inanimate objects, and the trap itself is equipped with a kind of fuse: it works only when the insect touches two hairs in turn or one or two times in a row in a short period of time. This allows the plant not to waste energy on objects that accidentally fall on the leaves, for example, on raindrops. After the trap is slammed, the plant "identifies" its prey within ~30 seconds, and then the leaf is hermetically sealed for several days. During this time, digestive enzymes dissolve the trapped animal, after which the trap opens again. This process can be repeated up to 4 times, then the trap functions are transferred to another leaf, and the used leaf dies. The maximum trap size for a Venus flytrap is 3 cm.
sticky traps
Rice. 9 Zhiryanka
The upper side of the leaves of a number of plants, such as sundews and butterworts, is covered with hairs that secrete droplets of a sticky sugary substance that attracts insects. The more an insect that has landed on a leaf tries to escape, the more it gets stuck in the sticky liquid. When the prey is caught, the leaf slowly rolls up, and the glands of the plant begin to secrete enzymes that break down animal proteins into simpler components. After some time, only undigested residues remain inside the leaf, mainly the chitinous cover, which, after opening the leaf, is carried away by rain or wind.
The size of the leaves of representatives of the Rosyankovy leaves family range from 5 mm to 60 cm. Not only insects, but also snails and even small frogs can become prey for large sundews.
suction traps
rice. 10 Pemphigus
Representatives of the Bubble family mainly grow in ponds and swamps. Their leaves are equipped with small vesicles, having a hole that closes a freely suspended valve that opens only inward. Special glands pump almost all the water out of the bubble so that the valve remains tightly closed due to the pressure of the water from the outside. Outside, the opening of the bubble is equipped with sensitive hairs. As soon as some small aquatic animal touches the hairs, the valve opens abruptly, and due to the pressure difference, the prey, along with water, is sucked into the bubble. The valve then quickly closes, and the plant digests the prey with enzymes secreted by the walls of the vesicle. After the digestion process is completed, the vesicle reopens. However, after each “hunt”, undigested remains remain in it, so after a while the bubble dies. Food for water pemphigus are larvae and adult small crustaceans, plankton and mosquito larvae.
Ravine traps
rice. 11 Genlisey
Some representatives of the genus Genlisei grow in shallow water, others prefer a terrestrial lifestyle, but they are all carnivores. Their trapping organs are modified shoots in the form of tubes with small thickenings. The length of these tubes, which secrete a special substance to attract a variety of unicellular organisms, can reach 15 cm. A spiral slit resembling a corkscrew runs along the entire length of the tubes. On its inner surface there is a series of hairs directed inward. Microorganisms caught in the trap are directed by hairs into the trap, into the thickening-bulb, where the digestion process takes place. Digestion of prey takes only a few minutes. In a day, a genlisei can catch and digest hundreds of single-celled organisms.
What tricks do plants growing in the desert or on poor soil have to go to in order to obtain the necessary mineral salts! This is especially difficult in sphagnum bogs, where there is almost no decomposition of organic matter and there is simply nowhere to get mineral salts. Is that from the air to extract, grabbing insects! This is what carnivorous, or insectivorous, plants do.
Chapter 2
1. Is it possible to tame plants - predators?
There is an erroneous opinion about the difficulty or even impossibility of growing plants - predators at home. In fact, some species are quite suitable for growing at home.
In addition, these plants can be useful in the summer, when there are a lot of annoying insects. For indoor conditions, the following species are most suitable: Venus flytrap, various sundews, medium-sized species of Nepentes, tropical species of butterflies and most types of sarracenia.
For those who have got themselves houseplants-predators, the question arises -Should I feed them meat? We answer: no, it is not necessary. Since this is one way to get nutrients and minerals, you just need to use liquid houseplant fertilizer once a month during the growth period.
At one time it was believed that, for example, the Venus flytrap or Sarracenia could grow exclusively in natural conditions. However, as it turned out, they feel quite good in a subtropical greenhouse, where a certain light and temperature regime and stable air humidity are maintained. Of course, each plant has its own preferences, but some general rules for taming "predators" still exist. It must be remembered that:
In autumn, the natural process of dying off of old leaves begins, they must be removed;
Place the plant in a cool room and stop watering it, a dormant period begins for it;
In the spring, at the beginning of growth, shoots are pruned in Nepenthes.
Can "insectivores" breed in captivity? And in this area
plants found a "common language" with man.
Seed propagation of insectivores is rarely used, since it is quite difficult to get their fresh seeds, and besides, seedlings grow very slowly. The most simple vegetative method, which is best used in the spring. The division of plants in the spring is also a kind of way to save them from crowding. So, venus flytrap And sarracenia in the spring they divide, planting separate sockets. Many "predators" (, sundew) are propagated by leaf cuttings. In this case, the leaves are cut off with a petiole and deepened by 1-1.5 cm into a mixture consisting of peat and sphagnum.
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2.Loss of predation
Why do plants "predation"?
The fact is that all carnivorous plants grow on poor soils, such as peat or sand. In such conditions, there is less competition among plants (few people are able to survive here), and the ability to catch live prey, break down and assimilate animal protein makes up for the lack of mineral nutrition. Carnivorous plants are especially numerous on moist soils, swamps and swamps, where they compensate for the lack of nitrogen at the expense of caught animals. As a rule, they are brightly colored, and this attracts insects that are used to associating bright colors with the presence of nectar. Attracting insects with color, smell or sweet secretions, predator plants catch them in one way or another, and then release enzymes into the trap that digest the caught prey. The products formed as a result of such extracellular digestion, mainly amino acids, are absorbed and assimilated.
In some carnivorous plants (sunflower, sundew, roseweed, etc.), the leaves are covered with numerous glands that secrete a sticky transparent liquid that attracts insects and sticks them to the leaf. When an insect falls into a trap in a predatory plant, secretions from the glands increase; at the same time, the glandular hairs bend towards the body of the insect (sundew) or the edges of the trapping leaf on which it is located (syryanka) are wrapped. In other predatory plants, the trapping apparatus is represented either by passively trapping insects (nepenthes, sarracenia, darlingtonia, etc.) or by actively operating traps (dyonea, aldrovandus, pemphigus, etc.).
All predatory plants feed on the substances they draw from the soil. These substances are necessary for them to live normally. But many predatory plants grow on such poor soils (swamps, deserts) that they lack the nutrients extracted from the earth. But how then to get the mineral salts necessary for life? They got out of the situation here and began to catch insects.
Predatory plants can do without animal food, but this makes them lethargic. And yet, some of these plants refused "animal" food!
Several plant species can be classified as protoinsectivorous or parainsectivorous plants: they have partially lost the ability to catch and digest small animals and, in the course of evolution, have adapted to use other sources of nutrients.
Fig. 12 Nepenthes jug
One of these plants is Nepenthes jug, which, along with attracting, catching and digesting arthropods, has the ability to obtain nutrients from the falling leaves of other plants that fall into its trapping "jug".
rice. 13 Nepenthes Lowe
Another example is Nepenthes Lowe. Preliminary studies have shown that this species has presumably adapted to "catching" bird droppings, feeding on its nectar and sweet secretions.
Fig. 14 Pemphigus purpurea
Pemphigus purpurea has partially lost its ability to catch prey. At the same time, she developed a mutualistic relationship, providing her bubbles for algae and zooplankton to inhabit.
As you know, most plants get the necessary nutrients from the soil. Some of them chose a different path and, in the course of their evolution, acquired amazing devices for catching and then digesting insects. Let's make a reservation right away, such an exotic way of subsistence was chosen not out of a whim, but out of necessity, because the swampy soils on which most plant predators live are very scarce and can only provide them with a “living wage”.
Experiments show that plants that live only on root nutrition, unlike their counterparts that receive animal food, are noticeably stunted in growth and are in an extremely depressed state. Plants living on waterlogged soils suffer from a lack of various substances: phosphorus, potassium, and especially nitrogen. In a natural desire to somehow replenish this “starvation ration”, plants have developed various trapping organs, which are nothing more than modified leaves, equipped with glands that secrete digestive enzymes and organic acids, allowing the plant to assimilate the caught prey. It is easy to assume that carnivorous plants - as a kind of botanical curiosity - are quite rare in nature. However, it is not. This group of plants includes almost 500 species from 6 families, various representatives of which are found in all parts of the world. Although the greatest species diversity of such predators, of course, is inherent in the tropics.
Conclusion
There is a group of plants in the magnificent kingdom of Flora, which at all times not only delighted scientists and naturalists, but also served as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the creators of chilling fables, in which human fantasy more than made up for the lack of accurate knowledge and facts.
These plants belong to different families and live in a wide variety of climatic zones - from the arctic tundra to the equatorial jungle. But they have one thing in common - they are all insectivorous predators, whose main business of life is hunting. And even if the prey is small by our standards, and the hunting process itself is silent, in these dramatic fights between plant and animal, the attentive observer discovers the great law of the perpetual motion of Nature - the struggle for survival.
What makes these plants "hunt"? The fact is that usually the substances necessary for the production of food, plants absorb from the soil. But some of them, in order to survive in arid or low-fertile soils, have learned to eat insects or small animals, such as frogs, and receive vitamins and mineral salts from them. Of course, plants do not hunt like animals, and their prey is not the largest - insects. All hunter plants are flowering plants. Insects are attracted to the smell and color of the plant and fall into tricky traps, such as getting stuck in drops of false dew or falling into "tooth cages". Carnivorous plants are considered a miracle of nature. Typically, such plants live in places depleted in nitrogen, and animals are used as an additional source of nitrogen. There are 450 species of such plants belonging to 6 families; they can be found all over the world in a variety of habitats.
Since these carnivorous plants feed mainly on small insects, they are also called insectivorous.
If in ancient times some of the plants began to "eat", or rather "digest" insects, then only in order to survive in a hostile environment, where the soil is so poor or so acidic that the roots could not receive nutrients in the usual way. But how then to get the mineral salts necessary for life? They got out of the situation here and began to catch insects.
Predatory plants can do without animal food, but this makes them lethargic. That is why carnivorous plants began to catch living creatures that provide them with the necessary food. And what is most surprising, many insectivorous plants are so small, look so graceful and delicate, that they do not at all seem to be insidious predators, luring and then devouring prey by deceit. Stories of plants feeding on large animals or even humans have been the basis of many horror films and chilling stories. No matter how fantastic these stories are, there is some truth in them - carnivorous plants do exist.
Literature
1. http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enc1p/32194
2. http://www.vokrugsveta.ru/vs/article/492/
3. http://slovari.yandex.ru/dict/bse/article/00051/43400.htm
4. Big book "Why" (questions and answers, interesting and useful information, quizzes and entertaining experiments). Moscow "ROSMEN" 2007
5. D.G. Hession. All about indoor plants.
Houseplants. Encyclopedia. Publishing house Eksmo. 2003.
6. V.V. Bianchi. Forest tales. Moscow "ROSMEN" 2005
Tolstikhin Victor
Historical information about predator plants
Why do plants catch animals?
Types of "insectivorous" plants
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Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Buryatia
Municipal budgetary educational institution
"Urinskaya secondary school"
671615, Republic of Buryatia, Barguzinsky district, s. Uro, st. School, 2
tel/fax: (8-301-31)95-6-91; e-mail: [email protected]; http:/www. Uroschool1.far.ru
Research
Plants are predators
The work was done by Victor Tolstikhin
4th grade student
Leader: Kolmakova
Elena Grigorievna,
Primary school teacher
year 2013
Introduction
Target
Tasks
Research methods
Main part
Historical information about predator plants
Conclusion
Literature
Recently, I learned that there are plants on Earth that have chosen an amazing way to get their nutrients. They catch and digest insects. Such plants are called carnivorous plants. Based on my knowledge of carnivorous plants, I put forward the following hypothesis : if plants "eat" insects, then this is necessary in order to survive in the environment.
The purpose of my work: to identify the reasons why plants have turned into predators.
I have put the following tasks :
To study historical information about predator plants and types of "insectivorous" plants;
Consider the characteristics of these plants;
To identify the causes and conditions for the transformation of plants into predators.
Research methods
Poll classmates
Collection and analysis of information on the topic
Searching for information on the Internet
Summarizing the material in the form of a presentation
I found out that almost all the guys in my class know about the existence of such plants.
Historical information about plants - predators
At the end of the 17th century, sailors arriving from across the ocean to Europe told sometimes chilling stories about bloodthirsty vampire plants that were allegedly found among the impenetrable tropical jungles of the New World. The fantasy of the storytellers was fueled by the impression of a huge creeper - a monster, whose aerial roots could remind the vivid imagination of a not very educated traveler about insidious tentacles. However, as strange as it may seem, predator plants do exist.
We are talking about a small group of flowering plants, including about 500 species; their leaves have turned into a kind of traps for insects. Many species of "carnivorous" plants live in swamps, where they often grow on a moss "pillow", while others grow on sand. It is not surprising that in the absence of fertile soil, they lack salts and trace elements, which is why such plants have acquired amazing adaptations that allow them to replenish nitrogen reserves by decomposing animal proteins. It is curious that most insectivorous plants have special enzymes that can digest the prey they have caught.
Predatory plants were discovered in the middle of the 18th century. Researcher John Ellis described the capture within secondsVenus flytrap.
Charles Darwin began to study in the swamps sundew . He studied "behavior" and fed her insects and salted English cheese.
In nature, animals usually eat plants, but here the opposite is true. Of course, plants, having become predators, do not start running through the forest like lions, rams, or swimming in rivers like snakes and crocodiles.
Why do plants catch animals?
The fact is that all carnivorous plants grow on poor soils, such as peat or sand. In such conditions, few people are able to survive here, and the ability to catch live prey, break down and assimilate animal protein makes up for the lack of mineral nutrition. Carnivorous plants are especially numerous on moist soils, swamps and swamps, where they compensate for the lack of nitrogen at the expense of caught animals. As a rule, they are brightly colored, and this attracts insects that are used to associating bright colors with the presence of nectar. Attracting insects with color, smell or sweet secretions, predator plants catch them in one way or another, and then release enzymes into the trap that digest the caught prey. All predatory plants feed on the substances they draw from the soil. These substances are necessary for them to live normally. But many predatory plants grow on such poor soils (swamps, deserts) that they lack the nutrients extracted from the earth. But how then to get the mineral salts necessary for life? They got out of the situation here and began to catch insects. Predatory plants can do without animal food, but this makes them lethargic. And yet, some of these plants refused "animal" food.
Carnivorous plants are considered a miracle of nature.
Types of "insectivorous" plants
Venus flytrap . The leaves contain glands that secrete sticky, thick mucus and three hairs. As soon as an insect touches these hairs, the leaves of the flycatcher slam shut.This is one of the fastest movements in the plant world.. Children and adults love it very much, they put their fingers in it and watch how the small soft mouth closes.
Sundew
The leaves of this plant are covered with droplets. They are sticky enough to hold the insect.
Fortunately for all lovers of predatory flowers, sundew can be grown at home. Of course, it requires special care.
Pemphigus
They mainly grow in ponds and swamps. Their leaves are equipped with small bubbles, having a hole that opens only inward. Outside, the opening of the bubble is covered with hairs. As soon as some small aquatic animal touches the hairs, the valve opens abruptly, and the prey, along with water, is sucked into the vial.
Genlisey
Their trapping organs are in the form of a tube with small thickenings, inside of which there are hairs. Insects caught in the trap are guided by hairs into the trap, where the digestion process takes place. Digestion of prey takes only a few minutes.
Nepenthes
These carnivorous plants are pitcher-shaped. Insects are attracted by the bright color of the jug and the sweet smell emitted by the plant. They climb into it and then fall to the bottom. There, the prey is digested for several hours.
Giant Nepenthes - islargest carnivorous plant.It is not surprising that small birds often become its victims, although its main “diet” is still insects.
Conclusion. Thus, my hypothesis was confirmed. Many plants grow in soils so poor that they lack nutrients from the soil. They lack nitrogen, which is scarce in swampy, dry and stony soils. Plants got out of the situation and began to catch insects.
Literature
1.
http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enc1p/32194
2.
http://www.vokrugsveta.ru/vs/article/492/
3.
http://slovari.yandex.ru/dict/bse/article/00051/43400.htm
4. Big book "Why" (questions and answers, interesting and useful information, quizzes and entertaining experiments). Moscow "ROSMEN" 2007
5. D.G. Hession. All about indoor plants. Houseplants. Encyclopedia. Publishing house Eksmo. 2003.
6. V.V. Bianchi. Forest tales. Moscow "ROSMEN" 2005
