Blog Assignment #2: Observing Sarracenia catesbaei

Observing a Hybrid Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia catesbaei)

1.   What did you choose to observe? Why did you choose to observe this?

I chose to observe my hybrid pitcher plant. I chose this organism as it was easy to observe, it is unique, as it is a carnivorous plant, and does not have an intensive dormancy period like my Venus fly traps. While this plant stops growing during the winter, it does not recede back to just its bulb, as the Venus fly traps tend to do.

2.     How long did you choose to observe your organism?

I observed the plant for about 15 minutes, in that time I saw many insects entering and leaving crevices in the soil.

3.     Describe your observation and note at least 3 specific things that you observed.

I noticed that some of the new growth on the plant comes in a deep red color, while others came in green, the same color of the stem on the mature branches. All new growth starts at the center of the plant but as the branch matures it leans out from the center, this is likely to extend the area it can attract insects to, similar to how a spider extends its web to a larger area as to cast a larger “net.” I noticed that while the soil is kept rather barren, moss and different types of grasses could take root and survive within the soil. Many insects resided around the pitcher plant, even though this plant could easily lead to their demise, the success of the plant almost seemed to lead to the success of a microbiome that had taken up residence around it.

4.     Are there any abiotic factors that influenced your observation? If so, what are they.

When I received the plant, they were in rather bad shape health wise. I originally had two plants that had been placed in heavily fertilized soil, carnivorous plants are very sensitive when it comes to their soil’s chemical composition and can easily be over-fertilized. The one plant that did survive appeared to be worse off visually compared to the other, but was able to come back much stronger than it had been previously.

1.     Would you change anything about your mode of observation the next time you do it?

If I were to observe it again, I would like to observe the plants involvement around the microbiome that resides in the soil around it. I would also like to see if the pitcher tube encourages microbial growth, especially as the pitcher tube ages and eventually decays.

6.     Write at least 3 scientific questions based on your observation.

a.     Do the organisms in the soil contribute to the success of the plant? Does the carnivorous plant play a large role in the microbes’ success?

b.      Do the pitcher tubes/ heads host a unique microbiome for microbes to prosper in?

c.      The pitcher heads on each branch vary in color, from deep reds, greens, and purples. Do these colors have any survival benefit to the plant or is due to the hybrid nature of the plant?

Hypothesis: Carnivorous plants, while largely self-sufficient, create a diverse microbiome around them that prospers when the plant itself prospers.