Regulation of water and macronutrients by the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera

Abstract

Nutritional outcomes for animals are best understood when the intake of multiple nutrients are considered together. The requirements for protein and carbohydrate and the consequences for development, growth and fitness when confined to sub-optimal amounts and ratios of these nutrients are well known for many herbivorous insects. Water is also essential for life, and it is known that herbivorous insects will actively ingest free water, have physiological mechanisms controlling thirst, and suffer fitness consequences if water is excessive or deficient in the diet. As herbivorous insects are thought to obtain the majority of their water from foliage, which can vary in protein, carbohydrate and water content, we investigated if the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera, can select among complementary foods to attain a target intake across these three nutrient dimensions. Locusts demonstrated selection behaviour for protein, carbohydrate and water by eating non-randomly from different combinations of complementary foods. A ratio of P:C:H2O of 1:1.13:13.2 or 1(P+C): 6.2 H2O was ingested. Given that locusts strongly regulate water intake, and its importance as an essential resource, we suggest future studies consider the single and interactive influences of water, protein and carbohydrate, when evaluating herbivorous insect host choice and foraging decisions.

Keywords: Carbohydrate; Geometric framework; Insect–plant interactions; Nutrient balancing; Protein; Water.