Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Deploying Community Scientists to Conduct Nondestructive Genetic Sampling of Rare Butterfly Populations
Published on: October 28, 2022
Identifying managerial legacies within conservation corridors using remote sensing and grasshoppers as bioindicators
K Jurie Theron1, James S Pryke1, Michael J Samways1
1Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
Effective management of grassland conservation corridors is crucial for biodiversity. Past grassland photosynthetic activity, vegetation characteristics, and invasive species removal significantly impact grasshopper diversity and assemblage composition.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- Biodiversity conservation necessitates managing key areas, including unprotected grasslands, to enhance landscape connectivity and mitigate fragmentation.
- Grassland conservation corridors are vital for biodiversity, but their long-term effectiveness depends on historical management practices.
- Grasshoppers serve as effective indicators of habitat quality and biodiversity within these corridors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of historical grassland photosynthetic activity on grasshopper communities within conservation corridors.
- To understand the mechanisms driving grasshopper responses using vegetation characteristics.
- To evaluate the efficacy of satellite remote sensing for monitoring grasshopper habitats.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a 25-year normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series to assess grassland photosynthetic activity.
- Field measurements of vegetation characteristics (height, bare ground, plant species richness) to correlate with grasshopper data.
- Application of additive models to explore satellite remote sensing for habitat monitoring.
Main Results:
- Grasshopper evenness positively correlated with NDVI deviations over 3 years; assemblage composition responded to NDVI over 2 years.
- Grasshopper richness and evenness were strongly influenced by vegetation height and bare ground.
- Invasive bramble (Rubus cuneifolius) negatively impacted large grasshoppers and species of conservation concern.
Conclusions:
- Maintaining high-quality habitat and removing invasive species are essential for grasshopper diversity in conservation corridors.
- Prescribed burning within three-year cycles can promote habitat heterogeneity and support biodiversity.
- High-resolution satellite imagery shows promise for monitoring grasshopper responses to vegetation changes in corridors.
More Related Videos
12:26Integrating Remote Sensing with Species Distribution Models; Mapping Tamarisk Invasions Using the Software for Assisted Habitat Modeling SAHM
Published on: October 11, 2016
10:20Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
Related Concept Videos
Habitat Fragmentation
Conservation of Declining Populations
Conservation of Small Populations
Ecological Succession
Threats to Biodiversity