Grasshopper abundance shifts with elevation, impacting biodiversity and ecosystems.
Grasshopper communities in Malang, Indonesia were studied to see how they change with elevation and land use. The researchers found that grasshopper abundance decreases as elevation goes up, but species richness and diversity increase. The most grasshoppers were found in the middle elevation, while the highest species richness and diversity were at the highest elevation. Land use didn't have a big impact on grasshopper populations. Grasshopper abundance was linked to temperature (more grasshoppers in warmer areas) and humidity (less in humid areas). Low elevation habitats had similar grasshopper populations, showing the importance of land use in those areas.