Is feeding on mosses by groundhoppers in the genus Tetrix (Insecta: Orthoptera) opportunistic or selective?

Kuřavová, Kateřina; Grucmanová, Šárka; Filipcová, Zuzana; Plášek, Vítězslav; Drozd, Pavel; Kočárek, Petr

doi:10.1007/s11829-016-9461-9

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The feces box shows the proportion of defecated feces (determined through the gut content analysis according to Kuřavová & Kočárek (2017). Full-size DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9603/ fig-3 frequently consume moss species that are dominant at each locality, but some speciesspecific preferences in moss consumption have been observed (Kuřavová et al, 2017b). Both basic components of groundhopper diets (detritus and moss) differ in chemical composition (Frankland, 1974;Rice, 1982;Enríquez, Duarte & Sand-Jensen, 1993;Asakawa, 1995;Asakawa, 2007;Maksimova et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During our previous studies we tested two working hypotheses: (1) moss tissues are a significant source of water in dry season/day periods, and (2) groundhoppers might consume mosses to obtain cryoprotectants (Cornelissen et al, 2007) in the case of an autumn cohort. Kuřavová et al (2017b) studied whether groundhoppers consumed mosses to obtain water by comparing of the food composition at two sites that differed considerably in water availability (humid vs. dry microhabitat). The results suggest that the studied species T. tenuicornis and T. ceperoi predominantly consumed the available mosses, i.e., the most frequently consumed mosses were the dominant species at each site.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Energy balance of food in a detrito-bryophagous groundhopper (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Kuřavová

Šipoš

Kočárek

2020

PeerJ

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Detritus (decaying organic matter) and phyllodes of mosses are two main components in the diet of groundhoppers (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae). We studied the energy balance of consumed food under laboratory conditions in the detrito-bryophagous groundhopper, Tetrix subulata (Linnaeus, 1758). The results indicated that the energy food budget of this detrito-bryophagous groundhopper was comparable to those of small herbivorous grasshoppers (Acrididae: Gomphocerinae, Melanoplinae), which have a similar energy food budget of approximately 800–1,100 J/g. T. subulata consumed four times more detritus than mosses, although both components provided similar amounts of energy (ca. 15–16 kJ/g). However, in contrast with detritus, moss fragments passed through the digestive tract without a distinct change in their mass or a loss in their energy value. We assume that moss may cause the longer retention of semifluid mass of partly digested food in the alimentary tract; hence, the digestion and efficiency of nutrient absorption from detritus could be more effective.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy balance of food in a detrito-bryophagous groundhopper (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Kuřavová

Šipoš

Kočárek

2020

PeerJ

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our previous finding that behaviour is affected by barometric pressure caused us to hypothesize that groundhoppers might actively seek vegetation to avoid adverse weather consequences (Musiolek & Kočárek, ). European groundhoppers generally prefer wet semi‐vegetated habitats that also include patches without vegetation (bare ground), which is typically exploited for visual and vibrational communication (Hochkirch et al, ; Kočárek, ), and patches with mosses and detritus, which make up most of their diet (Kuřavová & Kočárek, ; Kuřavová, Grucmanová et al, ). Because individuals spend most of their time feeding (Lock and Durvael, ; Hochkirch et al, ), they are often found on these open patches.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of substrate on the risk of being washed away by floods for the Groundhoppers Tetrix subulata and Tetrix tenuicornis (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Musiolek

Kočárek

2017

River Research & Apps

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Inundation zones of rivers are risky environments for terrestrial animals because of the regular or irregular occurrence of floods. Although animals in these zones have evolved several strategies to survive floods, behavioural anti-flooding strategies have seldom been studied but could play an important role in their life history strategies. We previously reported that the groundhopper Tetrix tenuicornis moves to dense vegetation in response to low atmospheric pressure (which may signal rain and flooding) but prefers mossy microhabitats and bare ground under high atmospheric pressure. In the current study, we found that the ability of the semi-aquatic groundhoppers T. tenuicornis and Tetrix subulata to withstand direct water flow was greater in patches of dense vegetation than in patches of moss or on bare ground. Even a relatively low water velocity led to water transport (presumably passive) of both species, perhaps because they lack arolia or other adhesive devices on their tarsi. This morphological limitation precludes vertical migration on vegetation, which is a common anti-flooding strategy in insects. Our results suggest that, by moving to dense vegetation in response to drops in atmospheric pressure, groundhoppers may reduce their risk of being washed away by floods.

show abstract

“…Epiphytic bryophytes and lichens (lichenized fungi) form an integral component of almost all land ecosystems, including forests and shrub vegetation, and are an important and irreplaceable component of species diversity 5 , 6 . Moreover, both groups of organisms have important ecosystem functions as they increase structural complexity, influence nutrient cycles and moisture retention, and provide habitats, food and nest material for animals 7 – 9 . Additionally, due to the strong relationship between bryophytes and lichens, with the overgrown substrate and the plant community in which they are recorded these organisms are used in phytosociological studies 10 – 15 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tea plantations and their importance as host plants and hot spots for epiphytic cryptogams

Wolski

Piwowarczyk

Plášek

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bryophytes and lichens are outstanding bioindicators, not only of the plant community in which they develop, but also the substrates on which they grow. Some epiphytic cryptogams, particularly the rare ones, are stenotopic and require a long habitat continuity, for example substrates such as old trees. It could also be a tea plantation, this is because the shrubs are not felled, and most of them may have several dozen years. In addition, the shrubs are not subject to sudden changes in microclimatic conditions as only the young leaves are harvested. As the importance of tea plantations as host plants for mosses and lichens has not yet been studied, the present study examines the species diversity of cryptogams of two tea plantations in Georgia (Caucasus). The study also examines the phytogeography, spatial pattern, environmental conditions and ecological indicators of the cryptogams. Thirty-nine cryptogam taxa were identified; typical forest taxa dominated, even in the absence of typical forest communities. Some of these species are obligatory epiphytes, rare or even critically endangered in most European countries (e.g., Orthotrichum stellatum, O. stramineum, Lewinskya striata). The fairly abundant record of such species on tea plantations indicates the importance of these phytocoenoses for the preservation of rare species, and indicates that these habitats are hot spots for these cryptogams in otherwise changed envirnonment. Additionally, as indicated the analysis of the species composition of individual plantations and the mathematical analysis made on this basis, plantations differ from each other. Another interesting result is also the spatial distributions of cryptogams on tea bushes resemble those of forest communities and lichens seems to be more sensitive than bryophytes to antropogenic changes of environment.

show abstract

Is feeding on mosses by groundhoppers in the genus Tetrix (Insecta: Orthoptera) opportunistic or selective?

Cited by 6 publications

References 37 publications

Energy balance of food in a detrito-bryophagous groundhopper (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Energy balance of food in a detrito-bryophagous groundhopper (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Effect of substrate on the risk of being washed away by floods for the Groundhoppers Tetrix subulata and Tetrix tenuicornis (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Tea plantations and their importance as host plants and hot spots for epiphytic cryptogams

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About