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Allometric and phylogenetic variation in insect phosphorus content
Author(s) -
Woods H. A.,
Fagan W. F.,
Elser J. J.,
Harrison J. F.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
functional ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2435
pISSN - 0269-8463
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2004.00823.x
Subject(s) - biology , phosphorus , allometry , insect , herbivore , lepidoptera genitalia , ecology , predation , botany , zoology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Summary1 Phosphorus content was measured in adult insects and arachnids from 170 species collected in the Sonoran Desert. 2 Across insect body sizes spanning four orders of magnitude, phosphorus content was inversely related to body mass. The largest species (∼1 g dry) had phosphorus contents that were only about 60% (0·62% P absolute) as high as phosphorus contents of the smallest species (∼0·0001 g dry; 0·97% P). Negative phosphorus allometry was observed within each of seven insect orders and within arachnids. 3 Phosphorus contents of insect predators and herbivores were statistically indistinguishable. 4 More recently derived orders tended to have lower phosphorus contents – with the exception of the most recently derived group (Panorpida = Diptera + Lepidoptera), which had high phosphorus contents.