A joint research by the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and University of Bristol found interesting trap developments in the Nepenthes pitcher plant that could give insight on how the carnivorous plant lures its prey into its trap.

The project is a collaboration between Dr Ulrike Bauer, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow from the University of Bristol; Associate Professor Dr Ulmar Grafe from the Faculty of Science (FOS), UBD; Associate Professor Dr Kushan Tennakoon of IBER, UBD; and PhD candidate from FOS UBD, Hanyrol Ahmadsah. It aims to provide new insights into the development of the specialized trapping surfaces on the pitchers of the carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plant, locally known as sumboi-sumboi.

According to Dr Tennakoon, there are a lot of mysteries on new areas of biodiversity and the environment that need attention from scientists. He stated that the pitcher plant is one of those areas where scientists are trying to understand the functions of the pitcher plant. The research brings positive implications to Brunei’s biodiversity, he said: “It shows rich biodiversity in the Sultanate and it clearly shows the potential we have to unravel the mysteries revolving plants and animals in relation to their co-evolution.”

The research took particular interest in the collar-shaped pitcher rim, which, as Dr Bauer said, is “a truly amazing multifunctional device”. The pitcher rim is conspicuously coloured and lined with nectar glands to attract prey to visit the pitcher, with the nectar glands concentrated along the inner edge of the rim – a danger zone for the visiting insects, she explained.

“But this is, by no means, the whole story!” she said. “While it is relatively safe for insects to visit the nectaries during times of dry weather, the rim suddenly turns into a deadly slide when the surface gets wet.”

Dr Bauer and Dr Grafe recently showed that the intermittent, wetness-depending trap activation is likely to have evolved as an adaption to trap ants because it allows ‘scout’ ants that discover the nectar on the pitcher during dry times to safely return to the ant colony and recruit nestmates. This greatly increases the pool of available prey for the plant when the weather turns wet.

“We have now a fairly good idea how the rim works,” Dr Bauer said. “However, we do not know anything about the development of this sophisticated device. I hope that the current collaboration with the biologists from Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER) Universiti Brunei Darussalam will help to shed some light on this question.” 

Dr Tennakoon added that the research brings significance in showing the rich resources and biodiversity in Brunei, which attracts researchers from around the world to collaborate and utilize facilities and resources in UBD. “The work is done in the white sands in Tutong district, which many considered degraded. This research shows the importance of conserving the white sands to protect the species in the habitat.”

The iconic pitcher plants have intrigued explorers and scientists for centuries, and Charles Darwin was sufficiently captivated by them that he wrote a book, “The Insectivorous Plants”, entirely devoted to these and other carnivorous plants that he encountered on his travels. Despite the century-long scientific interest, pitcher plants still hold many secrets today. For instance, scientists still do not fully understand the mechanisms behind the trapping process, the details of prey attraction, or the developmental processes underlying the formation of new pitchers. The collaboration between Dr Bauer, Dr Grafe, Dr Tennakoon and Ahmadsah hopes to close this gap by investigating the morphological and genetic underpinnings of pitcher development. 

IBER functions as the focal agency within UBD for the systematic organization and enhancement of biodiversity and environmental knowledge through research, education and outreach programs , with special emphasis on its Kuala Belalong Fields Study Centre research facility in the heart of the pristine rainforest of Temburong District. IBER’s research focus on both terrestrial and marine biodiversity throughout Brunei Darussalam, as well as interactions between biodiversity and its environment.