Discrimination of grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) diet and niche overlap using next‐generation sequencing of gut contents. Issue 15 (7th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McClenaghan, Beverly; Gibson, Joel F.; Shokralla, Shadi; Hajibabaei, Mehrdad
• Is Part Of: Ecology and evolution. Volume 5:Issue 15(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 3046
• Page End: 3055
• Publication Date: 2015-07-07
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1585
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-7758

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ece31585-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Species of grasshopper have been divided into three diet classifications based on mandible morphology: forbivorous (specialist on forbs), graminivorous (specialist on grasses), and mixed feeding (broad‐scale generalists). For example, <italic>Melanoplus bivittatus</italic> and <italic>Dissosteira carolina</italic> are presumed to be broad‐scale generalists, <italic>Chortophaga viridifasciata</italic> is a specialist on grasses, and <italic>Melanoplus femurrubrum</italic> is a specialist on forbs. These classifications, however, have not been verified in the wild. Multiple specimens of these four species were collected, and diet analysis was performed using DNA metabarcoding of the gut contents. The <italic>rbcLa</italic> gene region was amplified and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Levins' measure and the Shannon–Wiener measure of niche breadth were calculated using family‐level identifications and Morisita's measure of niche overlap was calculated using operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Gut contents confirm both <italic>D. carolina</italic> and <italic>M. bivittatus</italic> as generalists and <italic>C. viridifasciata</italic> as a specialist on grasses. For <italic>M. femurrubrum</italic>, a high niche breadth was observed and species of grasses were identified in the gut as well as forbs. Niche overlap values did not follow predicted patterns, however, the low values suggest low competition between these species.</p> </abstract>