Carnivory (adj. = carnivorous)
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Title
Carnivory (adj. = carnivorous)
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Definition
A plant which captures animals such as rotifers, mosquito larvae, adult insects, etc. which are decomposed on or within the leaves of the plant and the nutrients released (e.g., nitrogen) are assimilated by the plant. This term also applies to animals eating other animals.
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Notes
Examples of carnivorous plants are Dionaea mucipula and species of Drosera (Droseraceae), Heliamphora and Sarracenia (Sarraceniaceae), and Pinguicula and Utricularia (Lentibulariaceae), Note that carnivourous do not "eat" or "digest" prey in the same manner that animals eat or digest prey. Carnivorous plants are also autotrophic because they need to photosynthesize to produce their own carbohydrates---the nutrients they capture are integrated with the carbohydrates to produce more complex compounds that the plants use in their metabolism.
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Related Terms
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