MUTUALISM BETWEEN THE CARNIVOROUS PURPLE PITCHER PLANT AND ITS INHABITANTS

Larvae of the Diptera, Wyeomyia smithii and Metriocnemus knabi, accelerate the breakdown of prey and the rate of ammonia production in leaves of S. purpurea L. The leaves take up ammonia and CO2 rapidly and infuse O2 into the water contained in them. Brighter light and higher temperature promote more rapid uptake of ammonia. Under the brightest, warmest times of day, inquiline metabolism and respiration can produce increased substrates for photosynthetic C reduction and N incorporation. These same conditions promote an aerobic metabolite-free environment within the leaves. When the system goes anaerobic as a result of superabundant prey decomposition, photosynthetic bacteria predominate and fulfill the roles of the previous aerobic inhabitants.