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TEMPORAL VARIATION IN RANGELAND GRASSHOPPER (ORTHOPTERA: ACRIDIDAE) COMMUNITIES IN THE STEPPE REGION OF MONTANA, USA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

William P. Kemp
William P. Kemp
Affiliation:
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Insect Laboratory, Bozeman, Montana, USA59717–036
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Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate changes in rangeland grasshopper communities over a 5-year period in the Agropyron spicatum (Pursh) Scribn. and Smith and Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. provinces of the steppe region of Montana, USA. Results showed that it was possible to categorize years into outbreak, non-outbreak, and transitional based on rangeland grasshopper intensity. Nearly twice as many species were observed in outbreak versus non-outbreak years. Of the 57 total grasshopper species collected over the entire study period, 16 species were found only during outbreak years and only two were found exclusively during non-outbreak years. Of the remaining 39 species collected during outbreak and non-outbreak years, 27 species showed no significant differences in the percentage of the community that they represented and 11 species showed significant increases. The only species that made up proportionately less of the community as densities declined from outbreak to non-outbreak was Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.). Although M. sanguinipes, Ageneotettix deorum (Scudder), and Aulocara elliotti (Thomas) were the three top-ranked species in both outbreak and non-outbreak years, M. sanguinipes contributed most to overall shifts in grasshopper intensity. Results support the hypothesis that grasshopper communities overall are sensitive to temporal changes in resources, even though responses of individual species differed.

Résumé

Un programme d’étude de 5 ans a été entrepris dans le but d’évaluer les fluctuations des communautés de criquets dans les pâturages, dans les zones à Agropyron spicatum (Pursh) Scribn. et Smith et à Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag., dans la région des steppes du Montana, É.-U. Les résultats ont démontré qu’il était possible de classifier les années en années épidémiques, années non épidémiques et années de transition d’après la densité des criquets dans les zones de pâturage. Près de deux fois plus d’espèces ont été observées au cours des années épidémiques qu’au cours des années non épidémiques. Des 57 espèces de criquets récoltées au total durant la période d’étude, 16 n’ont été rencontrées qu’au cours des épidémies et seulement deux ont été récoltées exclusivement au cours des années non épidémiques. Parmi les 39 autres espèces récoltées tant au cours des années épidémiques que des années non épidémiques, 27 représentaient le même pourcentage de leur population au cours des deux types d’années, alors que 11 de ces espèces représentaient une proportion significativement plus grande de leur population au cours des années d’épidémies. La seule espèce qui composait une moins grande proportion de la communauté à mesure que les densités diminuaient, des années d’épidémies aux années non épidémiques, était Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.). Bien que M. sanguinipes, Ageneotettix deorum (Scudder) et Aulocara elliotti (Thomas) se soient avérées les trois espèces les plus abondantes à la fois au cours des années d’épidémies et au cours des années non épidémiques, M. sanguinipes est l’espèce qui a contribué le plus aux fluctuations globales de la densité des communautés de criquets. Les résultats corroborent l’hypothèse selon laquelle les communautés de criquets sont de façon générale sensibles aux fluctuations temporelles des ressources, même si les fluctuations des différentes espèces ne sont pas toujours les mêmes.

[Traduit par la rédaction]

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 124 , Issue 3 , June 1992 , pp. 437 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1992

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