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Volatile organic compounds influence prey composition in Sarracenia carnivorous plants
Corentin Dupont1, Bruno Buatois2, Jean-Marie Bessiere3
1AMAP, Montpellier University, CNRS, CIRAD, INRA, IRD, Montpellier, France.
Plos One
|April 19, 2023
Summary
Carnivorous pitcher plants use specific scents to attract prey, not just pitcher shape. These plant odors, like those of flowers, influence which insects like ants or bees are captured.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Chemical Ecology
- Carnivorous Plant Research
Background:
- Sarracenia pitcher plants exhibit prey differences attributed to pitcher morphology.
- The role of pitcher plant odors in prey composition remains largely unexplored.
- This study investigates olfactory cues in Sarracenia taxa with varying prey.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that pitcher plant odors influence prey composition.
- To compare odor and prey profiles across Sarracenia taxa with a kinship gradient.
- To disentangle the contributions of morphology and odor to prey variation.
Main Methods:
- Compared odor and prey composition in Sarracenia purpurea, S. X mitchelliana, S. X Juthatip soper, and S. X leucophylla.
- Analyzed volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and measured pitcher morphology.
- Utilized similarity analyses to correlate odor profiles with prey composition.
Main Results:
- Pitcher odors showed taxon-specific profiles, mirroring prey composition similarities.
- S. X leucophylla specialized in flying insects, emitting more monoterpenes.
- Two syndromes identified: ants with fatty-acid derivatives/short pitchers; flying insects with monoterpenes/tall pitchers.
Conclusions:
- Plant odors are key factors determining the diet composition of Sarracenia.
- Results support the hypothesis of perceptual exploitation of insect biases by carnivorous plants.
- New insights into the olfactory preferences of various insect groups are provided.
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