Relationship Of Utricle and Trap Door Size on Common Bladderworts Utricularia Macrorhiza

Authors

Tegwen Romportl

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza is a carnivorous aquatic plant that captures organisms with its bladders. This study was aimed at setting the stage for future research which might determine if U. macrorhiza could be a biological method of control for invasive species. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between utricle and trap door sizes and to gather data on the size ranges of these two morphological features. A regression analysis was used to obtain results which showed there was enough evidence to suggest that the size of bladderwort trap doors have a significant, positive relationship with the size of its utricles (P < 0.01). Additionally, the size of utricles ranged from 2.00 - 3.87 mm, and the size of utricle trap doors ranged from 0.53 - 1.47 mm. When looking at future samples of U. macrorhiza, the relationship between the two morphological features can be used to easily estimate trap door size which is a time- consuming measurement to obtain. Knowing trap door size is important when determining if the common bladderwort might consume an invasive species, such as the spiny water flea Bythotrephes longimanus, or if the trap is limited by the size of the invasive organism.

Publication Date

2025

Comments

Faculty sponsor: Dr. Andrew Hafs, Department of Biology, Aquatic Biology Program

Recommended Citation

Romportl, Tegwen, "Relationship Of Utricle and Trap Door Size on Common Bladderworts Utricularia Macrorhiza" (2025). Journal of Earth and Life Science. 86.
https://pines.bemidjistate.edu/j-earth-life-sci/86