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Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are important limiting nutrients for plant production and consumer performance in a variety of ecosystems. As a result, the N:P stoichiometry of herbivores has received increased attention in ecology. However, the mechanisms by which herbivores

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are important limiting nutrients for plant production and consumer performance in a variety of ecosystems. As a result, the N:P stoichiometry of herbivores has received increased attention in ecology. However, the mechanisms by which herbivores maintain N:P stoichiometric homeostasis are poorly understood. Here, using a field manipulation experiment we show that the grasshopper Oedaleus asiaticus maintains strong N:P stoichiometric homeostasis regardless of whether grasshoppers were reared at low or high density. Grasshoppers maintained homeostasis by increasing P excretion when eating plants with higher P contents. However, while grasshoppers also maintained constant body N contents, we found no changes in N excretion in response to changing plant N content over the range measured. These results suggest that O. asiaticus maintains P homeostasis primarily by changing P absorption and excretion rates, but that other mechanisms may be more important for regulating N homeostasis. Our findings improve our understanding of consumer-driven P recycling and may help in understanding the factors affecting plant-herbivore interactions and ecosystem processes in grasslands.
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    Title
    • Grasshoppers Regulate N: P Stoichiometric Homeostasis by Changing Phosphorus Contents in Their Frass
    Date Created
    2014-08-04
    Resource Type
  • Text
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    Identifier
    • Digital object identifier: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103697
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      1045-3830
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      1939-1560
    Note
    • The article is published at http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0103697

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    This is a suggested citation. Consult the appropriate style guide for specific citation guidelines.

    Zhang, Z., Elser, J. J., Cease, A. J., Zhang, X., Yu, Q., Han, X., & Zhang, G. (2014). Grasshoppers Regulate N:P Stoichiometric Homeostasis by Changing Phosphorus Contents in Their Frass. PLoS ONE, 9(8). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103697

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