Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 23:38:33 +0930 From: "RICHARD DAVION" <davion@camtech.net.au> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3428$foo@default> Subject: A SALACILIOUS QUESTION
Dear All
Most Cps can withstand about 1/10th to 1/8th Seawater ie what would
probably be defined as 'Brackish' water as is found in and around
the Pocosins of North and South Carolina where Dionaea is found
(see Juniper, Roberts and Joel - The Carnivorous Plants).
Considering that Seawater contains about 3% salts ie roughly 30grams per
Litre[Compare with MS level Sucrose.] 1/10 - 1/8th of this is about
3-3.6 grams per Litre and would be a good place to start your nutrient
experiments.
Why not try it for yourself - take an old Pepsi two Litre or a
humble Milkbottle down to the beach next week - fill up and then
dilute at home accordingly for some interesting experimental fun.
Start with Drosera capensis and work up.
You should find that Seawater, even though it is a complex mixture
[ a bit like air really], still follows the ONE QUARTER rule ie:
4 X Ambient = Toxicity or 1/4 Toxicity = Ambient
This of course implies Michaelis-Menton Kinetics ie that either CPs
and/or their mycorrhizae symbionts use their preferred heavy metals
as cofactors in coenzymes.
Considering that a lot of CPs occur on or nears known areas of
Serpentine areas ie Mount Kinabalu (N. rajah), Mount Bartle Frere
(D. schizandra) [ some such as Pinguicula hirtiflora are known
endemics though it is likely that they have receded to such areas
since the last Iceage.] the above should come as no surprise.
Considering many CPs are highly tolerant (especially Dionaea) to
Molybdenum I'm wondering whether or not any of them or their
microbial symbionts are capable of reducing triple bonded Carbon
monoxide (CO) to use as a direct competitor to CO2. Considering
that ethylene (another triple bonded compound) is use to determine
the efficiency of various strains of Nitrogenase [ the Nitrogen
fixing enzyme found in the nodules of many Legumes and other
Nitrogen fixing organisms and incorporating the a'lll' important
triple bond breaking atom Molybdenum] I wouldn't be too surprised
something like this may have occurred in such a reductive
environment such as bogs where the production and presence of H2S
and Methane are common phenomena.
Anyway hope this helps
DAVION
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