THE VENUS FLY TRAP
HOW DO THEY CONTRIBUTE?
ONE OF THE MAIN ASPECTS HUMANS RELY ON TO SURVIVE IS THE ABILITY TO GROW AND HARVEST CROPS. NOT ONLY DOES THIS PROVIDE FOOD, BUT IT ALSO ENRICH THE AIR THROUGH PHOSOSYNTHESIS WITH ESSENTIAL SUBSTANCES THE HUMAN SPECIES NEEDS TO SURVIVE. SADLY, MARS HAS VERY POOR SOIL NUTRIENTS WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO GROW ANYTHING AT ALL. THANKFULLY, THERE ARE A VERY SPECIAL SPECIES OF PLANT THAT CAN FERTILIZE ITS OWN SOIL AND FIGHT OFF INVADING INCESTS CALLED THE VENUS FLYTRAP.
NOT ONLY ARE VENUS FLY TRAPS EXCELLENT AT FERTILIZING THEIR OWN SOIL, BUT THEY ALSO FERTILIZE AND PACK THE SOIL AROUND THEM WITH NUTRIENTS PLANT SPECIES REQUIRE TO GROW. VENUS PLANTS WOULD ALLOW US TO ACCELERATE THE FERTILIZATION OF THE SOIL ON MARS AND HELP US MAINTAIN IT FOR MANY YEARS. IN ADDITION, THESE PLANTS ATTRACT INSECTS SUCH AS WORMS WHICH ARE BENEFICIAL TO THE GROWTH OF PLANTS BECAUSE THEY BREAK APART THE UNDERLYING SOIL, MAKING IT EASIER FOR PLANTS TO GROW THEIR ROOTS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THESE PLANTS TO REMOVE ANY HARMFUL BUGS THAT MAY BE DESTROYING THE CROP WE NEED FOR SURVIVAL.
These pictures were captured while monitoring the traps
THE VENUS FLYTRAP HAS EYELASH LIKE PROJECTS AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF ITS WING LIKE LEAVES. THESE PROJECTIONS ARE STICKY AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO TIGHTLY LOCK TOGETHER, CREATING AN INESCAPABLE INSECTS TRAP. TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A POSSIBLE VICTIM, THE VENUS PLANT HAS POINTY SPIKES ON THE INSIDE OF IT'S LEAVES WHICH ACT AS NERVES. THEN TWO OR MORE OF THES SPIKES ARE TOUCHED, THE TRAP INSTANTLY SPRINGS INTO ACTION, ENCLOSING ITS PREY WITH THE HAIRES AROUND ITS SURFACE. THE PLANT WILL THEN SECRETE EROSIVE CHEMICALS THAT DECOMPOSE THE BODIES OF THE INSECT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE INSECTS FALL INTO BITS AND PIECES WHICH DROP INTO THE SOIL BELOW, ADDING ORGANIC NUTRIENTS TO IT.
THE VENUS FLYTRAP IS KNOW FOR ITS SPECTACULAR FEATURES AND STUNNING ABILITIES. THIS PARTICULAR SPECIES OF PLANTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO SELF MAINTAIN BY FERTILIZING ITS OWN SOIL. IT DOES THIS BY TRAPPING AND DECOMPOSING THE BODIES OF ITS VICTIMS, WHICH THEN DROP INTO THE SOIL, PROVIDING NATURAL AND ORGANIC NUTRIENTS.
THE PICTURE YOU SEE WAS TAKEN BY US TO SHOW THE INTIMIDATING STRUCTURE OF THESE AMAZING PLANTS.
VENUS FLYTRAPS IN ACTION
THESE VIDEOS WERE SHOT OVER A 6 WEEK PERIOD USING A MICROLENSED MOTION TRIGGERED CAMERA WE SETUP
(Page By: Jacob Lewis)
(Experiment/Videos By: Jacob Lewis)