@article {6027,
	title = {How and why grasshopper community maturation rates are slowing on a North American tall grass prairie},
	journal = {Biology Letters},
	volume = {18},
	year = {2022},
	abstract = {<p>Invertebrate growth rates have been changing in the Anthropocene. We examine rates of seasonal maturation in a grasshopper community that has been declining annually greater than 2\% a year over 34 years. As this grassland has experienced a 1\&deg;C increase in temperature, higher plant biomass and lower nutrient densities, the community is maturing more slowly. Community maturation had a nutritional component: declining in years/watersheds with lower plant nitrogen. The effects of fire frequency were consistent with effects of plant nitrogen. Principal components analysis also suggests associated changes in species composition\&mdash;declines in the densities of grass feeders were associated with declines in community maturation rates. We conclude that slowed maturation rates\&mdash;a trend counteracted by frequent burning\&mdash;likely contribute to long-term decline of this dominant herbivore.</p>},
	keywords = {LTER-KNZ},
	doi = {10.1098/rsbl.2021.0510},
	url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2021.0510},
	author = {Kaspari, Michael and A. Joern and Welti, E.A.R.}
}
