Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) Species Composition and Size Across Latitude in Atlantic Coast Salt Marshes |
| |
| Authors: | Elizabeth L Wason Steven C Pennings |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5001, USA;(2) University of Michigan, 1300 Kraus Natural Science Building, 830 North University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | Although grasshoppers are common salt marsh herbivores, we know little about geographic variation in their species composition.
We documented latitudinal variation in species composition of the tettigoniid grasshopper fauna of Atlantic Coast salt marshes.
Tettigoniids (N = 740 adults) were collected from the Spartina alterniflora zone of 31 salt marsh sites across a latitudinal range of 13.19° (Florida to Maine), with an additional 52 individuals collected
from the Juncus roemerianus zone of low-latitude marshes for comparative purposes. Eight species were collected, but some were common only at a few sites
or rare throughout the entire collection range. The tettigoniid community was dominated by Orchelimum fidicinium at low latitudes and Conocephalus spartinae at high latitudes. Several factors might explain this shift, including changes in climate, plant phenology, and plant zonation
patterns. O. fidicinium and C. spartinae increased in body size toward low latitudes. In laboratory feeding assays, O. fidicinium readily ate S. alterniflora and J. roemerianus leaves, Orchelimum concinnum, which is largely restricted to the J. roemerianus zone, ate only J. roemerianus leaves, and Conocephalus spp. ate neither, consistent with literature suggestions that they mainly consume seeds and flowers. Geographic variation
in species composition and body size of grasshoppers may help explain documented patterns of geographic variation in plant
palatability and plant–herbivore interactions in Atlantic Coast salt marshes. Because it can be difficult to identify tettigoniids
to species, we present a guide to aid future workers in identifying the tettigoniid species common in these marshes. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
