Nutrition
Like most plants A. nervosa is an autotroph, meaning that it produces its own energy, primarily through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a process through which plants use energy from the sun to change CO2 and water into starches and sugars. Here is a link to a video that can better explain this process. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj_WKgnL6MI
Other than the products produced through photosynthesis this plant also requires other minerals that can usually be found in the soil that it is growing in. These nutrients are nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S). Nitrogen is used as part of the proteins, and enzymes, phosphorus plays a role in carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen metabolism, crucial for photosynthesis; potassium is important for the formation of starch, sugar translocation, and disease resistance; magnesium acts as an enzyme activator; calcium is used for the structure of the cell wall and is also used in enzymes and an enzyme activator. Sulfur is used and part of proteins , amino acids, vitamins, and is used in respiration.
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