Some plants survive in environments where the soil is very nutrient-poor.
How do carnivorous plants obtain the minerals that they need?
They digest insects using enzymes and use the products to create new materials for the plant.
Insects are attracted to the sweet liquid inside the adapted leaves of 'pitcher plants'. Once inside they cannot get out and are re digested by enzymes produced by the plant.
Venus fly traps have sensitive hairs that act as triggers, closing the leaves quckily when an insect lands. Enzymes digest the insect and the soluble nutrients are absorbed into the plant.
Peat bogs are formed from many layers of dead plants - because the plants don't decay they don't release their nutrients into the soil. Carnivorous plants have become adapted to this nutrient poor habitat.
Sundew plants trap insects with droplets of sticky fluid on ther leaves.
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