Nutrient dilution and climate cycles underlie declines in a dominant insect herbivore

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Ellen A R WeltiMichael Kaspari

Abstract

Evidence for global insect declines mounts, increasing our need to understand underlying mechanisms. We test the nutrient dilution (ND) hypothesis-the decreasing concentration of essential dietary minerals with increasing plant productivity-that particularly targets insect herbivores. Nutrient dilution can result from increased plant biomass due to climate or CO2 enrichment. Additionally, when considering long-term trends driven by climate, one must account for large-scale oscillations including El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). We combine long-term datasets of grasshopper abundance, climate, plant biomass, and end-of-season foliar elemental content to examine potential drivers of abundance cycles and trends of this dominant herbivore. Annual grasshopper abundances in 16- and 22-y time series from a Kansas prairie revealed both 5-y cycles and declines of 2.1-2.7%/y. Climate cycle indices of spring ENSO, summer NAO, and winter or spring PDO accounted for 40-54% of the variation in grasshopper abundance, mediated by effects of weather and host plants. Consistent with ND, grass biomass doubled and foliar concentrations of N, P, K, and Na-nutrients which li...Continue Reading

References

Dec 6, 2000·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·G E Belovsky, J B Slade
Aug 24, 2002·Science·Nils Chr StensethMauricio Lima
Jan 9, 2004·Nature·Chris D ThomasStephen E Williams
Sep 4, 2008·Annual Review of Entomology·Spencer T Behmer
Nov 18, 2008·Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology : Organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS)·Ming-Sheng FanSteve P McGrath
Dec 12, 2012·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Chelse M PratherA Joern
Jul 26, 2014·Science·Rodolfo DirzoBen Collen
Dec 21, 2014·Journal of Insect Science·Bao-Ping PangXiao-Rong Zhou
Dec 23, 2016·Science·Gao HuJason W Chapman
Jan 14, 2017·Royal Society Open Science·Sara L HermannChristie A Bahlai
Apr 20, 2017·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Anu ValtonenGyörgy Csóka
Jul 25, 2018·Ecology Letters·Chelse M PratherSteven C Pennings
Oct 17, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Bradford C Lister, Andres Garcia
May 31, 2019·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·M R WilligA E Lugo
Jun 19, 2019·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Auriel M V FournierStephen B Heard
Jun 30, 2019·Science·Yves Basset, Greg P A Lamarre
Oct 12, 2019·Science·Kenneth V RosenbergPeter P Marra
Nov 13, 2019·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Callum J MacgregorChris D Thomas

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jun 6, 2020·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Sarah E Diamond, Ryan A Martin
Aug 12, 2020·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Michael S CrossleyMatthew D Moran
Dec 2, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Stav TalalJon F Harrison
Mar 20, 2021·Cell·Andrea E A Stephens
Apr 7, 2021·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Michael S CrossleyMatthew D Moran
Apr 21, 2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Phoebe L ZarnetskeCheng-En Yang
Jul 4, 2021·Global Change Biology·Michael S CrossleyWilliam E Snyder
Jul 9, 2021·Journal of Invertebrate Pathology·Raymond J St Leger
Aug 14, 2021·Conservation Physiology·Alexander M ShephardEmilie C Snell-Rood

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.