title: A dynamical model for the Utricularia trap.
abstract: We propose a model that captures the dynamics of a carnivorous plant, Utricularia inflata. This plant possesses tiny traps for capturing small aquatic animals. Glands pump water out of the trap, yielding a negative pressure difference between the plant and its surroundings. The trap door is set into a meta-stable state and opens quickly as an extra pressure is generated by the displacement of a potential prey. As the door opens, the pressure difference sucks the animal into the trap. We write an ODE model that captures all the physics at play. We show that the dynamics of the plant is quite similar to neuronal dynamics and we analyse the effect of a white noise on the dynamics of the trap.
authors.affiliation: Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, LJAD, Faculté des sciences, Parc Valrose, 06100 Nice, France.
authors.forename: Coraline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Llorens
authors.forename: Médéric
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Argentina
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bouret
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marmottant
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D020387:Food Chain; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000502:physiology*