Grasshopper communities varied with habitat gradients characterized by grazing history and grass species richness and coverage. Obligate grass-feeding grasshoppers occurred in higher numbers on grazed sites and were associated with a higher proportion of bare ground and the species blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis). Plant community composition accounted for differences in grasshopper communities between the grazed and undisturbed sites. Short grasses dominated grazed sites and tall grasses dominated ungrazed sites. Areas with high grass species richness and total coverage of grasses and sedges supported the most grasshopper species richness.
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