Background Carnivorous plants are an ecological group of approx. 810 vascular species which capture and digest animal prey, absorb prey-derived nutrients and utilize them to enhance their growth and development. Extant carnivorous plants have evolved in at least ten independent lineages, and their adaptive traits represent an example of structural and functional convergence. Plant carnivory is a result of complex adaptations to mostly nutrient-poor, wet and sunny habitats when the benefits of carnivory exceed the costs. With a boost in interest and extensive research in recent years, many aspects of these adaptations have been clarified (at least partly), but many remain unknown. Scope We provide some of the most recent insights into substantial ecophysiological, biochemical and evolutional particulars of plant carnivory from the functional viewpoint. We focus on those processes and traits in carnivorous plants associated with their ecological characterization, mineral nutrition, cost–benefit relationships, functioning of digestive enzymes and regulation of the hunting cycle in traps. We elucidate mechanisms by which uptake of prey-derived nutrients leads to stimulation of photosynthesis and root nutrient uptake. Conclusions Utilization of prey-derived mineral (mainly N and P) and organic nutrients is highly beneficial for plants and increases the photosynthetic rate in leaves as a prerequisite for faster plant growth. Whole-genome and tandem gene duplications brought gene material for diversification into carnivorous functions and enabled recruitment of defence-related genes. Possible mechanisms for the evolution of digestive enzymes are summarized, and a comprehensive picture on the biochemistry and regulation of prey decomposition and prey-derived nutrient uptake is provided.

中文翻译：

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近期对植物食肉动物的生态生理、生化和进化见解

背景 食虫植物是一个生态群，大约 810 种血管物种，它们捕捉和消化动物猎物，吸收猎物衍生的营养物质并利用它们来促进它们的生长和发育。现存的食虫植物至少在十个独立的谱系中进化，它们的适应性特征代表了结构和功能趋同的一个例子。当肉食的好处超过成本时，植物肉食是对大多数营养贫乏、潮湿和阳光充足的栖息地进行复杂适应的结果。近年来，随着兴趣的增加和广泛的研究，这些适应的许多方面已经得到澄清（至少部分地），但许多方面仍然未知。范围我们提供了一些关于实质性生态生理学的最新见解，从功能的角度看植物食肉动物的生化和进化细节。我们专注于食肉植物中与其生态特征、矿物质营养、成本效益关系、消化酶的功能和陷阱中狩猎周期的调节相关的那些过程和特征。我们阐明了摄取猎物衍生养分导致刺激光合作用和根系养分吸收的机制。结论 利用猎物衍生的矿物质（主要是 N 和 P）和有机养分对植物非常有益，提高叶片的光合速率是植物更快生长的先决条件。全基因组和串联基因复制将用于多样化的基因材料引入肉食功能，并能够招募与防御相关的基因。