Meeting Abstract

S9.2-1  Tuesday, Jan. 7 10:30  The Physiological Ecology of Nutrition: A Framework for Linking the Lab to the Field BEHMER, S. T.; Texas A&M University s-behmer@tamu.edu

Feeding is a daily activity for most animals, and is fundamentally a nutrient collection exercise. Many animals display a strong ability to regulate their intake of key nutrients, but under some conditions the ability to self-select may be constrained. In this talk I present an experimental framework for exploring how food protein-carbohydrate content impacts animals, including consideration of the costs associated with both under-eating and over-eating nutrients. I then provide examples, mostly from grasshoppers, that show how this approach can inform foraging strategies, and physiological responses, under different nutritional and environmental conditions.