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Grasshopper Lab
Grasshopper Lab
Grasshopper Lab
Grasshoppers
Introduction
Knowing the size or density (size / unit area) of a population is the first stage in many
ecological questions. The most direct way to determine population size is to count all the individuals,
but for most populations, a complete count is not possible. Fortunately, several methods are available
that estimate population size after sampling a portion of the total population. In this lab we will use the
capture-recapture method to estimate population size in two habitats.
Methods
r
C= (1)
M
Where C defines the “catchability” of a population, M = the number of animals marked and released,
and r = the number of marked animals re-captured. Finally, total population size, N, can be estimated
by dividing the number of individuals captured in the second sample, s, by the catchability.
s
N= (2)
C
s1
N= M (3)
r1
N ±1.96 (4)
M r 2 s1sr
r 1 r 2 r2
(5)
Estimating the 95% confidence intervals allows you to make a conservative estimate of whether
populations estimated in the different habitats are equally abundant. A 95% confidence interval
means that you can be 95% certain that the true population size lies between the upper and
lower bounds that you calculate. If the intervals between days overlap, the differences are not
significant; if they do not overlap there is a significant difference.
References
Borror, D.J., D.M. DeLong, and C.A. Triplehorn. 1997. An Introduction to the Study of Insects. 6th
edition. Saunders College Publishing. 800pp.
Bronson, W.S. 1943. The grasshopper book. Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York.
Caughley, G. 1977. Analysis of vertebrate populations. John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y.
Southwood, T. R. E., and P. A. Henderseon. 2000. Ecological methods, 3rd edition. Blackwell, Oxford.
Appendix: Identifying Grasshoppers
You are most likely to encounter the following groups of grasshoppers which are in three different
families:
• Family Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers):
o Sub-family Oedipodinae (Band-winged grasshoppers)
o Sub-family Melanoplinae (Spur-throated grasshoppers)
o Sub-family Gomphocerinae and Acridinae (Tooth-Legged / Slant-Faced Grasshoppers)
• Family Tetrigidae (Pygmy Grasshoppers)
• Family Tettigoniidae (Long-horned Grasshoppers or Katydids)
The distinctive characteristics are pointed out for each group below.
1. Family Acrididae (Short Horned Grasshoppers):
1.1.Family-Level Characters
a) Pronotum not prolonged back over abdomen
b) Wings usually well-developed
c) Tarsi 3-segmented
d) Short antennae
1.2.Subfamily: Oedipodinae (Band-winged grasshoppers, adult characters):
a) Large, "flying" grasshoppers with multi-colored banded "wings" (see below).
b) Distinctive longitudinal keel on their pronotum (first segment of the thorax, just behind
the head) (see below).
c) Face is vertical or nearly so.
d) Sometimes they make crackling noises when they fly.
1.3.Sub-Family: Melanoplinae (Spur-throated grasshoppers). Note: This group contains many
common species including most of the pests in the grasshopper group. Most species we will
encounter are in the genus Melanoplus.
a) Distinctive spine or spur on their prosternum (e.g., an Adam's-apple-like structure
between their two front legs - similar to the Yellow Locust in drawing).
b) Pronotum is flat on the back and broadly rounded at the rear end.
c) Face is usually vertical.