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Eco Photo 4
This photo was taken on April 13th, 2018 at Piney Ridge Nature Preserve. The photo illustrates an example of a Venus flytrap in its natural habitat. The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant species that naturally occupies the southeastern United States, primarily in North and South Carolina. In fact, according to NC State Parks the Venus flytrap can only be found within a 75-100 mile radius of Wilmington, North Carolina and are not found anywhere else in the world. Another interesting fact about Venus flytraps is that they can go up to one to two months without eating. This is likely because these plants are photosynthetic and do not completely rely on carnivory for energy but use the nitrogen they gather from these animals to enable their survival in poor soil conditions. The Venus flytrap is highly adapted to conditions where, soil levels tend to be acidic, humidity is high and there are abundant amounts of full sunlight. Therefore, this plant is a good indicator to determine soil quality and tells you about conditions along the southeastern coast. In addition, this particular Venus flytrap was found in a Pocosin environment bordering a Longleaf Pine Forest. What’s interesting about this is that a Pocosin environment is a type of wetland habitat that possess sandy soils and thick peat which make it an ideal environment for many rare plants. Plants found in this region also tend to be highly water dependent, but also need regular burns from wildfires to survive. This is similar to the Longleaf Pine Forest meaning Pocosin Forests also have high biodiversity levels as a result of these continuous fires. The peat also makes up a key component in this habitat in several ways. Peat is the thick organic layer of soil that builds up over hundreds of years and once the top layer becomes dry it serves as an excellent fuel source for the many wildfires. In addition, the peat provides a healthy layer of soil to feed the plants as well as a sponge to soak up water. Without the peat the water would runoff and the plants would not be able to survive.
Sources: www.britannica.com/plant/Venus-flytrap
NC State Park of Piney Ridge Nature Preserve
Eco Photo 4
This photo was taken on April 13th, 2018 at Piney Ridge Nature Preserve. The photo illustrates an example of a Venus flytrap in its natural habitat. The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant species that naturally occupies the southeastern United States, primarily in North and South Carolina. In fact, according to NC State Parks the Venus flytrap can only be found within a 75-100 mile radius of Wilmington, North Carolina and are not found anywhere else in the world. Another interesting fact about Venus flytraps is that they can go up to one to two months without eating. This is likely because these plants are photosynthetic and do not completely rely on carnivory for energy but use the nitrogen they gather from these animals to enable their survival in poor soil conditions. The Venus flytrap is highly adapted to conditions where, soil levels tend to be acidic, humidity is high and there are abundant amounts of full sunlight. Therefore, this plant is a good indicator to determine soil quality and tells you about conditions along the southeastern coast. In addition, this particular Venus flytrap was found in a Pocosin environment bordering a Longleaf Pine Forest. What’s interesting about this is that a Pocosin environment is a type of wetland habitat that possess sandy soils and thick peat which make it an ideal environment for many rare plants. Plants found in this region also tend to be highly water dependent, but also need regular burns from wildfires to survive. This is similar to the Longleaf Pine Forest meaning Pocosin Forests also have high biodiversity levels as a result of these continuous fires. The peat also makes up a key component in this habitat in several ways. Peat is the thick organic layer of soil that builds up over hundreds of years and once the top layer becomes dry it serves as an excellent fuel source for the many wildfires. In addition, the peat provides a healthy layer of soil to feed the plants as well as a sponge to soak up water. Without the peat the water would runoff and the plants would not be able to survive.
Sources: www.britannica.com/plant/Venus-flytrap
NC State Park of Piney Ridge Nature Preserve