The Kaspari Lab
Category: Nutrient Dilution
Potassium as a game-changer in prairie food webs
This study suggests why the K and Na in urine may reveal a plant’s hidden super-power in its battle against herbivores.
Read MoreBite by bite: why North American herbivores confront such a variable diet
As you travel across North America, grasslands are everywhere, from roadside strips to boundless open prairie. It is easy think of acres of grass and forbs (flowering herbs) as just mouthfuls of forage for local herbivores. Give me a moment…
Read MoreGrasshopper Declines and the perils of Nutrient Dilution
Grasshopper numbers at a tall grass prairie have declined ca. 2% per year. Ellen Welti leads in identifying a likely culprit: increasing CO2 is diluting plant nutrients, making each bite less and less nutritious over the years. This open access…
Read More
The Kaspari Lab 