Fall 2003 grasshopper monitoring -- mid-marsh grasshopper abundance and species diversity at eight GCE LTER sampling sites

Grasshopper abundance and species diversity were investigated at eight sampling sites within the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems (GCE) LTER study area in August 2003. Visual surveys were conducted along 8 2m by 10m transects randomly allocated within the mid-marsh zone at each site. All grasshoppers observed within each transect were counted and identified to species, if possible. This survey was conducted as part of the GCE invertebrate monitoring program, and will be performed annually to assess long-term changes in relative species abundances across the GCE study area.