Assessing the potential impact of grasshopper outbreaks on Patagonian wetlands through mathematical modelling.

ABSTRACT: Herbivorous insects occasionally produce population outbreaks that can alter the availability of food resources for other animals and cause economical losses. In the Patagonian steppe, wetlands are important ecosystems due to their environmental and ecological functions. Within these ecosystems, there is a wide diversity of phytophagous insects, among which two species of orthoptera are predominant: Dichroplus elongatus (usually considered a pest) and D. vittigerum. These species are native to Argentina and commonly feed on grasses and herbaceous plants present in wetlands and crops. To evaluate the consequences of grasshopper population outbreaks on wetlands, we conducted an interdisciplinary study that included field and laboratory experiments, along with the development of a mathematica

SUBMITTER: Serrano LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11698732 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature