Question

Give an example of parasitic and predator plants. What structural adaptation are present in these plants that allow them to acquire nutrition through parasitism and predation?

Answer 1

Parasitic plants like the dodder and hemiparasites such as mistletoe have special organs called haustoria for nutrition acquisition, while predator plants like Venus flytraps have modified trap leaves and digestive enzymes. These adaptations allow them to acquire nutrients in specific environments.

Step-by-step explanation:

An example of a parasitic plant is the dodder, which completely depends on its host for survival and is classified as a holoparasite. Another type is hemiparasites like mistletoe, which engage in a partial parasitic relationship only utilizing the host for water and minerals. On the other hand, examples of predator plants include the Venus flytrap or pitcher plants, which have modified leaves that can trap and digest insects to gather nutrients.

Structural adaptations in parasitic plants for nutrition acquisition include the development of special organs called haustoria, which invade the host's tissue to access their vascular system. For predator plants, adaptations include modified leaves that form traps, nectar to attract prey, and digestive enzymes or bacterial relationships to decompose and absorb nutrients from their prey.

Both parasitic and predator plants show remarkable evolutionary adaptations to secure necessary nutrients in environments where they may not be able to produce enough food through photosynthesis alone.