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Abstract

Invertebrate pests often show high morphological variation and wide environmental tolerances. Knowledge of how phenotypic variation is associated with environmental heterogeneity can elucidate the processes underpinning these patterns. Here we examine morphological variation and relative abundance along environmental gradients in a widespread agricultural pest, native to Australia, the wingless grasshopper Phaulacridium vittatum (Sjöstedt). We test for correlations between body size, wing presence, and stripe polymorphism with environmental variables. Using multiple regression and mixed-effects modeling, body size and stripe polymorphism were positively associated with solar radiation, and wing presence was positively associated with foliage projective cover (FPC). There were no associations between body size or morphological traits with relative abundance. However, relative abundance was positively associated with latitude, soil moisture, and wind speed, but was negatively associated with FPC. Therefore, sites with low relative abundance and high forest cover were more likely to contain winged individuals. Overall, our results suggest that environmental and climatic conditions strongly influence the relative abundance and the distribution of morphotypes in P. vittatum, which is likely to affect dispersal and fitness in different landscapes. This knowledge is useful for informing how environmental change might influence the future spread and impact of this agricultural pest.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Yadav, S and Stow, AJ and Harris, RMB and Dudaniec, RY
Keywords:	wingless grasshopper, Phaulacridium vittatum, agricultural pest, relative abundance, morphological variation
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Insect Science
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
ISSN:	1536-2442
DOI / ID Number:	10.1093/jisesa/iey121
Copyright Information:	Copyright 2018 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Related URLs:	Google Scholar: Harris, RMB UTAS Profile: Harris, RMB
Item Statistics:	View statistics for this item

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