%0 Journal Article %J Insect Science %D 2010 %T Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) select vegetation patches in local-scale responses to foliar nitrogen but not phosphorus in native grassland %A Loaiza, V. %A Jonas, J.L. %A Anthony Joern %K Andropogon gerardii %K ecological stoichiometry %K insect herbivory %K Konza Prairie %K N-P fertilization experiment %K Solidago missouriensis %X

Key elements such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are often limiting relative to the nutritional needs of herbivores that feed on them. While N often limits insect herbivores in natural terrestrial ecosystems, the effect of P is poorly studied in the field, even though compelling hypotheses from the ecological stoichiometry literature predict its importance. We evaluated small-scale spatial distributions of, and herbivory by, grasshoppers among neighboring plots that vary in foliar-N and -P in tallgrass prairie. Grasshopper densities were 67% greater in N-fertilized plots but detected no effect to grasshopper densities from P-fertilizer. Leaf damage to the dominant grass Andropogon gerardii was 32% greater in N-fertilized plots, but no response to foliar-P was detected. Herbivore damage to a common forb, goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis), was not strongly linked by fertilizer treatments, although there was increased leaf damage in N-fertilizer treatments when no P was applied (a significant N × P interaction). Under field conditions at local scales, we conclude that spatially heterogeneous distributions of grasshoppers are primarily affected by foliar-N in host plants with little evidence that P-levels contribute to the spatial patterns.

%B Insect Science %V 18 %P 533 -540 %G eng %U https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1744-7917.2010.01376.x %M KNZ001336 %R 10.1111/j.1744-7917.2010.01376.x