Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 18:08:55 From: SCHLAUER@chemie.uni-wuerzburg.de To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3867$foo@default> Subject: Re: Nepenthes & microbes?
Dear Gabor,
> I have recently read an issue which referred to pitcher liquor as 'water
> which houses rich communities of specialized small animals', which 'devour
> trapped insects'(source: Watson, L. and Dallwitz, M.J.: The Families of
> Flowering Plants... , see also http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta). In
> contrary, there's an opinion that pitcher plants (s.s. species of the
> genus Nepenthes) produce their own enzymes for this purpose.
Both is apparently true. Although _Nepenthes_ have their own enzymes,
specialised animals and microbes do digest a part of the prey for
their own purposes.
> It would be also
> interesting to get more detailed information about the microorganisms,
> enzymes and the nature of this symbiosis.
It seems to be similar to animal intestines. Sometimes the symbioses
are mutualistic. Some (most?) cases are obviously (klepto-)parasitic
in nature.
Kind regards
Jan
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