Abstract
Possible non-target effect of transgenic cry1Ie maize exerts on natural enemy community biodiversity in the field is unresolved. In the present study, a 2-yr comparison of transgenic cry1Ie maize (Event IE09S034, Bt maize) and its near isoline (Zong 31, non-Bt maize) on natural enemy community biodiversity were compared with whole plant inspections, pitfall traps and suction sampler. Natural enemy diversity indices (Shannon-Wiener’, Simpson’s and Pielou’s index) and abundance suggested there were no significant differences between the two types of maize. The only exceptions were the Pielou’s index for whole plant inspections in 2013 and abundance for pitfall traps in 2012, which were significantly higher in Bt maize than those of non-Bt maize. The main species of natural enemies were identical in Bt and non-Bt maize plots for each method and the three methods combined. For whole plant inspections, Bt maize had no time-dependent effect on the entire arthropod natural enemy community, and also no effect on community dissimilarities between Bt and non-Bt maize plots. These results suggested that despite the presence of a relatively minor difference in natural enemy communities between Bt and non-Bt maize, transgenic cry1Ie maize had little, if any, effect on natural enemy community biodiversity.
Highlights
Exposed to Bt proteins[11]
Taxa occurrences were similar in Bt and non-Bt maize plots over two years, with the exception that P. japonica was observed only once in Bt maize plots, and T. ostriniae was observed only five times in non-Bt maize plots
One Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was collected during the study and it was found in a Bt maize suction trap
Summary
Exposed to Bt proteins[11]. Previous studies confirm that some predators are exposed to Bt proteins in a plant-herbivore-predator (tritrophic) system[12]. The aim is to compare arthropod natural enemies in transgenic cry1Ie maize plots with those in near isoline Zong 31 maize plots with emphases on (i) species diversity and abundance, (ii) time-dependent effects of Bt maize on community composition, (iii) similarities of community structures between Bt and non-Bt maize and their response to maize type and sampling time. With this purpose, the abundance and diversity of natural enemies from the two-year field study were evaluated. The three multivariate techniques, redundancy analysis (RDA), principal response curve (PRC), and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) were used to assess the community data of natural enemies in Bt and non-Bt maize plots
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