Non-prey biotic interactions in carnivorous plants

Abstract

Carnivorous plants often spark broad interest due to their specialized adaptations for trapping and consuming animals. These notable organisms not only fix carbon through photosynthesis, but they also obtain essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate from their captured prey. In typical angiosperms, interactions with animals are usually confined to such processes as pollination and herbivory, but another layer of complexity in these interactions is added for carnivorous plants. Here, we introduce carnivorous plants and their associated organisms — ranging from their prey to their symbionts — and highlight biotic interactions beyond carnivory to discuss how the ‘default’ interactions typical for flowering plants have changed in the case of the carnivorous plants (Figure 1).