ChemicaL Profiles and Foraging Efficiency in a Carnivorous Plant: Effects of Contrasting Precipitation Regimes.

Abstract

Carnivorous plants have evolved specialized adaptations that allow them to persist in nutrient-poor habitats, including modified traps, digestive enzymes, and mechanisms for absorbing nutrients derived from prey. Beyond these structural features, chemical signalling mediated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) contributes to several ecological functions, such as prey attraction, short-range interactions, and defence. VOCs can attract insects over relatively long distances, whereas SVOCs tend to remain on trap surfaces, where they may influence local interactions with arthropods and microbes. Environmental conditions, particularly precipitation and humidity, are known to affect VOC emissions and may alter foraging dynamics, yet the extent to which variation in chemical emissions corresponds with differences in prey capture is still not well resolved. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a study under both field and greenhouse conditions using the carnivorous plant Drosera rotundifolia in two climatically contrasting sites of north-western Spain: the wetter Serra do Cando (CP) and the drier Serra de Ancares (AP). At both sites, we quantified insect prey capture and characterized VOC and SVOC emissions. Prey capture rates were similar between regions, but plants from the drier site showed higher total VOC emissions, while SVOC production did not differ markedly. PERMANOVA analyses further indicated that site had no significant effect on overall VOC or SVOC composition. Together, these results suggest a balance between flexibility in emission intensity and stability in chemical composition, providing insight into how specialized metabolites support the ecological functioning of carnivorous plants across contrasting environmental conditions.