59

An international team of researchers from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), the University of Greifswald, and Universiti Brunei Drussalam has discovered that Nepenthes hemsleyana – a pitcher plant found in Borneo – uses an echo reflector to attract bats. However, it is not the bats themselves that the plants are after, but their droppings. As the pitcher plants grow in soil that is low in nutrients they need additional fertiliser and the bats’ droppings provide them with vital nutrients. In return, the plants offer the bats the perfect place to sleep inside their pitchers.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] GregorGizeh@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 year ago

Good this isn’t one of them then. According to the quote they offer the bats a safe place to sleep and in turn derive nutrients from their droppings

this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2024
59 points (96.8% liked)

science

19093 readers
29 users here now

A community to post scientific articles, news, and civil discussion.

rule #1: be kind

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS