Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/j.1570-7458.2005.00327.x
Title (Primary) Testing the efficiency of three 15N-labeled nitrogen compounds for indirect labeling of grasshoppers via plants in the field
Author Unsicker, S.B.; Renker, C.; Kahmen, A.; Spindler, S.; Buchmann, N.; Weisser, W.W.
Source Titel Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Year 2005
Department BOOEK
Volume 116
Issue 3
Page From 219
Page To 226
Language englisch
Keywords Acrididae; ammonium; Chorthippus biguttulus; Chorthippus parallelus; Dactylis glomerata; glycine; Holcus lanatus; multi-trophic interactions; Omocestus viridulus; stable isotope 15N; Trifolium repens
Abstract In field studies of plant–insect herbivore interactions it is often difficult to establish which herbivore has fed on a particular plant. We investigated the suitability of three different 15N-labeled nitrogen compounds (ammonium, nitrate, and glycine) for indirect marking of three grasshopper species [Omocestus viridulus (L.), Chorthippus parallelus (Zett.), and Chorthippus biguttulus (L.) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)] through labeling their food plants in the field. In two short-term experiments grassland plots of 1 m2 were separately labeled with either one of the different nitrogen compounds. Grasshoppers were caged on three food-plant species [Dactylis glomerata L., Holcus lanatus L. (Poaceae), and Trifolium repens L. (Fabaceae)] present in these plots for 72 h. Significantly enriched δ15N values in grasshoppers were found in all plant/grasshopper combinations. Enrichment in grasshoppers was positively correlated with the enrichment of plants and labeling with nitrate resulted in highest 15N enrichment. In a long-term experiment, individuals of C. biguttulus were placed in a cage covering an area of 1 m2 for 37 days, with sampling of grasshoppers at regular intervals. δ15N values of the grasshopper and a common food plant, D. glomerata, increased steadily over time, up to 40-fold by the end of the experiment. Our results demonstrate that 15N-labeling of plants is an appropriate tool for the investigation of insect–plant interactions under natural conditions.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=3852
Unsicker, S.B., Renker, C., Kahmen, A., Spindler, S., Buchmann, N., Weisser, W.W. (2005):
Testing the efficiency of three 15N-labeled nitrogen compounds for indirect labeling of grasshoppers via plants in the field
Entomol. Exp. Appl. 116 (3), 219 - 226 10.1111/j.1570-7458.2005.00327.x