title: Carbon isotope ratios and crop analyses of Arphia (Orthoptera: Acrididae) species in southeastern Wyoming Grassland.
abstract: Food habits of Arphia conspersa Scudder and Arphia pseudonietana (Thomas) were studied along an altitudinal transect in southeastern Wyoming shortgrass mixed prairie. Stable carbon isotope ratios indicated that diets were significantly different between study sites, between species, and between sexes. These differences were found to be primarily related to the availability of different food plants along the transect, although species with the C3pathway of photosynthesis were consumed in greater proportion than their availability in the habitat. The preference for C3species is presumably related to their higher nutritional value and digestibility, in spite of the fact that more time and energy must be spent to locate these food plants in some of the habitats studied. This study demonstrates the utility of the carbon isotope method in studying plant-animal interactions in habitats containing both C3and C4plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Range Science, Brigham Young University, 84602, Provo, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Boutton
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Range Science, Brigham Young University, 84602, Provo, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, University of Nebraska, 68588, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
authors.forename: A Tyrone
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Harrison