Which stimuli may trigger action potentials in plants?

  1. Touch or pressure
  2. Chemicals
  3. Physical damage
  4. Stress

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How are action potentials in plants different from those in animals?

  1. Plant action potentials use different ions (like chloride and potassium)
  2. Plant action potentials are transmitted along the cell membranes and through plasmodesmata, whereas animals transmit action potentials via neurones
  3. Plant action potentials travel more slowly than in animals
  4. Plant action potentials last longer than in animals

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What is the Venus fly trap?

The Venus fly trap is a carnivorous plant that obtains nitrogen compounds by trapping and digesting small animals, mostly insects.

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What triggers the Venus fly trap to close?

The touch of an insect on the sensory trigger hairs on the lobes inside the folded leaves of the Venus fly trap stimulates action potentials that cause the leaf to fold over and capture the insect.


If two sensory hairs are stimulated within a short period, or one hair is touched twice within the same time interval, action potentials travel across the trap causing it to close.

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How does the Venus fly trap change shape to capture an insect?

The lobes of the leaf rapidly change from a convex to a concave shape, bending downwards to snap the trap shut.


This is likely due to a release of elastic tension in the cell walls.

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What is the role of calcium ions in feeding by a Venus fly trap?

  1. The touch of trigger hairs on the Venus fly trap leaf activates calcium ion (Ca2+) channels in cells at the base of the hairs
  2. The Ca2+ channels open so Ca2+ flows into cells at the base of the hairs to generate a receptor potential
  3. Ca2+ also stimulates the exocytosis of vesicles containing digestive enzymes, aiding in the digestion of captured insects

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What happens after the Venus fly trap captures an insect?

The insect stimulates the inner surface of the lobes, triggering further action potentials that seal the trap completely. 


The Venus fly trap begins to digest the insect using enzymes.

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How does the Venus fly trap reset after digestion?

After digestion, cells on the upper surface of the midrib of the Venus fly trap grow slowly, causing the leaf to reopen and set the trap again.

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How does the Venus fly trap ensure it doesn't close unnecessarily?

The Venus fly trap requires multiple stimuli to close and has gaps that allow very small insects to escape, preventing wastage of energy.

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What is the role of the stiff hairs on the lobes of the Venus fly trap?

  1. Interlock to capture the insect inside the trap
  2. Allow very small insects to escape, preventing wastage of energy

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