Temporal and spatial change of the investment in carnivory of the tropical Utricularia foliosa

Investment by bladderwort (Utricularia foliosa L.) in carnivory, in terms of biochemical composition (carbohydrates per bladder), elemental composition (carbon and nitrogen per bladder), and morphology of the bladders (length, depth, size of the trap door, and size of antennae), was estimated in seven plants located in Yahuarcaca creek (Colombian Amazon) five times from March to May 2005. The aims were to determine whether investment in carnivory varies temporally (over the growing season of the plant) and/or spatially, and if this potential change in carnivory investment varies according to nutrient conditions. The main differences in the investment in carnivory (changes in bladder number and bladder size, and changes in the size of the antennae) were among locations and there were not important differences over the growing season of the plant. Nitrogen and not phosphorus, was the element that stimulated the investment in carnivory. In addition to changes in bladder number and bladder size, we observed a new strategy to enhance prey capture under nitrogen limitation: changes in the size of the antennae. The size of the antennae was approximately 1.3 higher in those plants located in sites with low NO₃⁻. However, we did not observed changes in the carbon/nitrogen ratio of the bladders or in the relationship between bladder length with bladder depth or size of the trap door. The amount of carbohydrates per bladder was also 1.8 higher in those plants located in sites with low NO₃⁻ (0.13 μM) than those with higher NO₃⁻ concentration (0.39 μM). However, the amount of carbohydrates in the bladder was related with the abundance of periphyton and, hence, it is not possible to conclude that carbohydrate production was a strategy of the plant to enhance the capture of prey. Therefore, our findings do not support the carbohydrate mucilage lure speculations.