Why a Tiny Grassland Creature's Disappearance Is Seriously Worrying Scientists

It’s tough out there for a hungry grasshopper on the Kansas prairie. Oh, there’s plenty of grass to eat, but this century’s grass isn’t what it used to be. It’s less nutritious and deficient in minerals like iron, potassium, and calcium.

Partly due to that nutrient-deficient diet, there’s been a huge decline in grasshopper numbers of late, by about one-third over two decades, according to a 2020 study. The prairie’s not hoppin’ as it used to — and a major culprit is carbon dioxide, says study author Michael Kaspari, an ecologist at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.
Why a Tiny Grassland Creature's Disappearance Is Seriously Worrying Scientists