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Updated: Apr 10, 2026
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Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
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Seasonal stoichiometry of terrestrial consumer-resource interactions
Richard E Feldman1,2, Anna Singh2, Paul C Frost2
1Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
Ecology
|April 9, 2026
Summary
Insect stoichiometry remained stable despite seasonal leaf nutrient changes. This suggests arthropods may have a limited physiological cost to nitrogen limitation, but adaptation to high carbon:nitrogen ratios remains a key question.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Zoology
Background:
- Producer stoichiometry significantly impacts animal ecology, influencing distribution, abundance, and behavior.
- Seasonal shifts in plant nutrient content, particularly declining leaf nitrogen and increasing carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratios, create a dynamic resource landscape for primary consumers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of seasonal variation in foliar stoichiometry on insect elemental composition and life history traits.
- To quantify changes in leaf and insect carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations and C:N ratios throughout the growing season in an alvar ecosystem.
Main Methods:
- Weekly measurements of C and N concentrations and C:N ratios in leaves and adult moths.
- Sampling conducted from early May to early October 2023 in an Ontario alvar ecosystem.
- Analysis of potential correlations between foliar stoichiometry and moth body mass and abundance.
Main Results:
- Foliar N concentrations decreased, C concentrations remained stable, and C:N ratios increased across the growing season.
- Insect (moth) N and C concentrations and C:N ratios showed minimal seasonal variation.
- No consistent seasonal declines in moth body mass or abundance were observed, nor a strong direct association with foliar C:N.
Conclusions:
- Arthropods in this alvar ecosystem exhibit minimal seasonal variation in their elemental composition, suggesting resilience to changing food quality.
- There may be a limited physiological cost to acute nitrogen limitation for these insects.
- The mechanisms by which late-season folivores adapt to high C:N ratios warrant further investigation, especially in the context of climate change.
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