Non-target Arthropods Research Articles

Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance acrinathrin

EFSA JournalVolume 8, Issue 12 1872 Conclusion on PesticideOpen Access Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance acrinathrin European Food Safety Authority, European Food Safety AuthoritySearch for more papers by this author European Food Safety Authority, European Food Safety AuthoritySearch for more papers by this author First published: 13 December 2010 https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1872Citations: 1 Correspondence: praper@efsa.europa.eu Published date: 13 December 2010 Question number: EFSA-Q-2010-00764 On request from: European Commission AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat References France, 2007. Draft Assessment Report (DAR) on the active substance acrinathrin. prepared by the rapporteur Member State France in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC, July 2007. France, 2010a. Additional Report to the Draft Assessment Report on the active substance acrinathrin prepared by the rapporteur Member State France in the framework of Commission Regulation (EC) No 33/2008, January 2010. France, 2010b. Final Addendum to the Additional Report on acrinathrin, compiled by EFSA, September 2010. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 2010. Peer Review Report to the conclusion regarding the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance acrinathrin. Guidance documents EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 2009. Guidance Document on Risk Assessment for Birds and Mammals on request of EFSA. EFSA Journal 2009; 7(12): 1438. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 2005. Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Plant health, Plant protection products and their Residues on a request from EFSA related to the assessment of the acute and chronic risk to aquatic organisms with regard to the possibility of lowering the uncertainty factor if additional species were tested. EFSA Journal 2005; 301, 1– 45. European Commission, 2003. Guidance document on assessment of the relevance of metabolites in groundwater of substances regulated under council directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/221/2000-rev 10-final, 25 February 2003. European Commission, 2002a. Guidance Document on Terrestrial Ecotoxicology Under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/10329/2002 rev.2 final, 17 October 2002. European Commission, 2002b. Guidance Document on Aquatic Ecotoxicology Under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/3268/2001 rev 4 (final), 17 October 2002. European Commission, 2002c. Guidance Document on Risk Assessment for Birds and Mammals Under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/4145/2000. European Commission, 1999. Guidelines for the generation of data concerning residues as provided in Annex II part A. section 6 and Annex II, part A, section 8, of Directive 91/414 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market. SANCO Doc 1607/VI/97-rev.2 (App. A-I). FOCUS (2001). “FOCUS Surface Water Scenarios in the EU Evaluation Process under 91/414/EEC”. Report of the FOCUS Working Group on Surface Water Scenarios, EC Document Reference SANCO/4802/2001-rev.2. 245 pp. FOCUS (2007). “Landscape And Mitigation Factors In Aquatic Risk Assessment. Volume 1. Extended Summary and Recommendations”. Report of the FOCUS Working Group on Landscape and Mitigation Factors in Ecological Risk Assessment, EC Document Reference SANCO/10422/2005 v2.0. 169 pp. FOCUS (2000). “FOCUS Groundwater Scenarios in the EU review of active substances”. Report of the FOCUS Groundwater Scenarios Workgroup, EC Document Reference SANCO/321/2000-rev.2. 202 pp, as updated by the Generic Guidance for FOCUS groundwater scenarios, version 1.1 dated April 2002. SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry), 2001. Guidance Document on Regulatory Testing and Risk Assessment procedures for Plant Protection Products with Non-Target Arthropods. ESCORT 2. Citing Literature Volume8, Issue12December 20101872 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance carbetamide

EFSA JournalVolume 8, Issue 12 1913 Conclusion on PesticideOpen Access Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance carbetamide European Food Safety Authority, European Food Safety AuthoritySearch for more papers by this author European Food Safety Authority, European Food Safety AuthoritySearch for more papers by this author First published: 14 December 2010 https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1913 Correspondence: praper@efsa.europa.eu Published date: 14 December 2010 Question number: EFSA-Q-2010-00840 On request from: European Commission AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat References France, 2006. Draft Assessment Report (DAR) on the active substance carbetamide. prepared by the rapporteur Member State France in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC, February 2006. France, 2010a. Additional Report to the Draft Assessment Report on the active substance carbetamide prepared by the rapporteur Member State France in the framework of Commission Regulation (EC) No 33/2008, February 2010. France, 2010b. Final Addendum to the Additional Report on carbetamide, compiled by EFSA, October 2010. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 2010. Peer Review Report to the conclusion regarding the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance carbetamide. Guidance documents European Commission, 2003. Guidance document on assessment of the relevance of metabolites in groundwater of substances regulated under council directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/221/2000-rev 10-final, 25 February 2003. European Commission, 2002b. Guidance Document on Terrestrial Ecotoxicology Under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/10329/2002 rev.2 final, 17 October 2002. European Commission, 2002c. Guidance Document on Aquatic Ecotoxicology Under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/3268/2001 rev 4 (final), 17 October 2002. European Commission, 2002a. Guidance Document on Risk Assessment for Birds and Mammals Under Council Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/4145/2002; 25 September 2002. FOCUS, 2001. “FOCUS Surface Water Scenarios in the EU Evaluation Process under 91/414/EEC”. Report of the FOCUS Working Group on Surface Water Scenarios, EC Document Reference SANCO/4802/2001-rev.2. 245 pp. FOCUS, 2007. “Landscape And Mitigation Factors In Aquatic Risk Assessment. Volume 1. Extended Summary and Recommendations”. Report of the FOCUS Working Group on Landscape and Mitigation Factors in Ecological Risk Assessment, EC Document Reference SANCO/10422/2005 v2.0. 169 pp. FOCUS, 2000. “FOCUS Groundwater Scenarios in the EU review of active substances”. Report of the FOCUS Groundwater Scenarios Workgroup, EC Document Reference SANCO/321/2000-rev.2. 202 pp, as updated by the Generic Guidance for FOCUS groundwater scenarios, version 1.1 dated April 2002. EFSA, 2007. Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues on a request from EFSA related to the default Q10 value used to describe the temperature effect on transformation rates of pesticides in soil. The EFSA Journal (2007) 622, 1– 32. EFSA, 2004. Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Plant Health, Plant Protection Products and their Residues on a request of EFSA related to FOCUS groundwater models comparability and the consistency of this risk assessment of groundwater contamination. The EFSA Journal (2004) 93, 1– 20. EFSA 2009. Guidance Document on Risk Assessment for Birds and Mammals on request of EFSA. EFSA Journal 2009; 7(12): 1438. SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry), 2001. Guidance Document on Regulatory Testing and Risk Assessment procedures for Plant Protection Products with Non-Target Arthropods. ESCORT 2. Volume8, Issue12December 20101913 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Effects of cypermethrin on antioxidant status, oxidative stress biomarkers, behavior, and mortality in the freshwater mussel Unio elongatulus eucirrus

In this study, the effects of cypermethrin on antioxidant status, oxidative stress biomarkers, behavior, and mortality in the freshwater mussel Unio elongatulus eucirrus were examined. Cypermethrin was applied at concentrations of 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 µg/L, for 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. With increasing cypermethrin concentrations, the mussels showed significantly (P < 0.05) increased lipid peroxidation (MDA), which might be associated with decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) activity in the digestive glands and gills of the mussels. Negative correlations were observed between the MDA and the GSH and CAT levels after cypermethrin exposure, indicating a protective role of GSH and CAT against lipid peroxidation, and suggesting the use of these antioxidants as a potential biomarker of toxicity associated with contaminant exposure in freshwater mussels. In addition, at 5 µg/L, cypermethrin had no effect on the duration of the active and rest periods. All higher concentrations caused inhibition of the filtration activity by reducing the active periods and lengthening the rest periods. The active periods shortened as the cypermethrin concentrations increased, the reduction being 90% of the control at 160 µg/L. Rest periods were longest (237% longer than the control) at 160 µg/L. The 48, 72, and 96 h LC50 values of cypermethrin for mussels were determined as 96.50, 77.96, and 59.20 µg/L, respectively (P < 0.05). The results indicate that the insecticide cypermethrin has a harmful effect not only on nontarget aquatic arthropods and fish, but also on mollusks, although the sensitivity of mussels is less than that of fish. Being a general toxicant for aquatic life, cypermethrin should be used with great caution in agriculture to protect natural waters from contamination.

Recommendations for the design of laboratory studies on non-target arthropods for risk assessment of genetically engineered plants

This paper provides recommendations on experimental design for early-tier laboratory studies used in risk assessments to evaluate potential adverse impacts of arthropod-resistant genetically engineered (GE) plants on non-target arthropods (NTAs). While we rely heavily on the currently used proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in this discussion, the concepts apply to other arthropod-active proteins. A risk may exist if the newly acquired trait of the GE plant has adverse effects on NTAs when they are exposed to the arthropod-active protein. Typically, the risk assessment follows a tiered approach that starts with laboratory studies under worst-case exposure conditions; such studies have a high ability to detect adverse effects on non-target species. Clear guidance on how such data are produced in laboratory studies assists the product developers and risk assessors. The studies should be reproducible and test clearly defined risk hypotheses. These properties contribute to the robustness of, and confidence in, environmental risk assessments for GE plants. Data from NTA studies, collected during the analysis phase of an environmental risk assessment, are critical to the outcome of the assessment and ultimately the decision taken by regulatory authorities on the release of a GE plant. Confidence in the results of early-tier laboratory studies is a precondition for the acceptance of data across regulatory jurisdictions and should encourage agencies to share useful information and thus avoid redundant testing.

Identifying signature of chemical applications on indigenous and invasive nontarget arthropod communities in vineyards

Communities of arthropods providing ecosystem services (e.g., pest control, pollination, and soil nutrient cycling) to agricultural production systems are influenced by pesticide inputs, yet the impact of pesticide applications on nontarget organisms is normally evaluated through standardized sets of laboratory tests involving individual pesticides applied to a few representative species. By combining season-long pesticide applications of various insecticides and fungicides into a metric based on the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control (IOBC) toxicity ratings, we evaluate season-long pesticide impacts on communities of indigenous and exotic arthropods across 61 vineyards assessed for an entire growing season. The composition of arthropod communities, identified mostly at the family level, but in some cases at the species level, was altered depending on season-long pesticide use. Numbers of mostly indigenous parasitoids, predatory mites, and coccinellids in the canopy, as well as carabid/tenebrionid beetles and some spider families on the ground, were decreased at higher cumulative pesticide metric scores. In contrast, numbers of one invasive millipede species (Ommatoiulus moreletti Lucas, Julida: Julidae) increased under higher cumulative pesticide metric scores. These changing community patterns were detected despite the absence of broad-spectrum insecticide applications in the vineyards. Pesticide effects were mostly due to indoxacarb and sulphur, applied as a fungicide. The reduction of beneficial arthropods and increase in an invasive herbivorous millipede under high cumulative pesticide metric scores highlights the need to manage nontarget season-long pesticide impacts in vineyards. A cumulative pesticide metric, based on IOBC toxicity ratings, provides a way of assessing overall toxicity effects, giving managers a means to estimate and consider potential negative season-long pesticide impacts on ecosystem services provided through arthropod communities.

Pollen interception by linyphiid spiders in a corn agroecosystem: implications for dietary diversification and risk-assessment

Dietary diversification, including consumption of plant tissues such as pollen, can enhance the fecundity of generalist predators, resulting in improved control of pest prey. Supplemental pollen feeding has been observed in many natural enemies, including sheet-web spiders (Araneae: Linyphiidae), which represent a major component of food webs in agroecosystems. Their horizontal, ground-based webs have the potential to intercept pollen grains during anthesis of crop plants, providing the opportunity for consumption of pollen to occur. In laboratory feeding trials, Frontinella communis and Tennesseellum formicum (Araneae: Linyphiidae) readily fed on pollen grains dusted on their webs, with 82 and 92% of spiders consuming pollen within the 210 min trial. These results revealed a strong potential for dietary supplementation with pollen in ground-based sheet-web spiders, indicating that pollen feeding may be an important component of the feeding biology of linyphiids. To measure pollen and prey interception in simulated linyphiid webs, a 20 m × 20 m grid of miniature sticky traps was established within and downwind of a corn agroecosystem. Traps were exposed for 24 h, all intercepted material was transferred to the laboratory for subsequent identification, and replaced with additional traps for 28 consecutive days in July and August 2008, to encompass periods before, during and after anthesis. Over 150,000 corn pollen grains and 5,000 prey items (dominated by Collembola and Hemiptera) were intercepted at simulated web-sites. Dates of peak anthesis resulted in pollen counts as high as 4,000 grains per web-site in the interior of the cornfield. Spatial Analysis by Distance Indices (SADIE) indicated significant temporal and spatial variability in pollen interception within and outside the corn field, but interestingly there was no significant spatial association between pollen and prey. Furthermore, transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis corn expresses insecticidal proteins in pollen, posing an exposure risk to non-target arthropods. Consumption of corn pollen may be a route to transgenic protein exposure in this important taxon of generalist predators.

Indirect effects of ant eradication efforts on offshore islets in the Hawaiian Archipelago

Invasive species eradication and control are considered vital components of the conservation, restoration, and management of many native ecosystems. Invasive ants, which are notoriously difficult to eradicate, can cause catastrophic changes in ecosystems and are aggressive colonists. Here we report the eradication and control of two widely distributed invasive ants and subsequent unanticipated effects on arthropod and avian communities. We used a paired experimental design that included 1 year of baseline data collection, to test the effects of the formicide hydramethylnon on abundances of two ant species on two pairs of offshore islets. Pheidole megacephala was eradicated from the treated islet in pair 1 and was not detected during 2003–2008. On pair 2 Solenopsis geminata numbers declined, but the species remained present. Target ant densities remained high on untreated islets. Application of hydramethylnon reduced numbers of alien cockroaches (Order: Blattaria), but we did not detect effects on other non-target arthropods. The eradication of P. megacephala was followed by dynamic compositional changes in the ant community, including the apparent colonization by three species (S. geminata, Tetramorium bicarinatum and Anoplolepis gracilipes) previously undetected on the islet. One of these, A. gracilipes, underwent a rapid range expansion during 2006–2008 which corresponded with reduced seabird nesting success. We conclude that hydramethylnon can be used effectively to eradicate P. megacephala. However, ant eradications can have detrimental effects on ecosystems and the potential for subsequent colonization of sites by other ant species that may be more harmful and more difficult to eradicate needs to be considered.

Effects of exposure to the toxin Cry1Ab through Bt maize fed-prey on the performance and digestive physiology of the predatory rove beetle Atheta coriaria

In this study we assess the prey-mediated effects of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ab-expressed in maize on the performance and digestive physiology of the rove beetle Atheta coriaria (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), using Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) as prey in tritrophic bioassays. The toxin was detected in both T. urticae and A. coriaria adults and larvae, with concentrations of Cry1Ab decreasing through the trophic chain. In A. coriaria adults, the toxin decayed following an exponential curve, not being detectable in their bodies 24 h after the exposure to Bt-fed mites. When the performance of A. coriaria reared on (i) Bt maize infested with T. urticae, (ii) non-Bt maize infested with T. urticae, and (iii) rearing food were compared, no differences were found in any of the parameters analyzed (duration of immature stages, sex ratio, survivorship, fecundity and egg fertility). Proteolytic activities of A. coriaria adults fed with mites raised on Bt maize did not show differences with those reared on non-Bt fed-prey, indicating that the nutritional quality of the prey was not affected by exposure to the toxin. This work represents the first study dealing with prey-mediated effects of Bt maize on larvae and adults of a rove beetle. The use of this cosmopolitan rove beetle as an indicator species to assess potential effects of genetically modified crops on non-target arthropods is feasible.

Laboratory and Field Assessments of Prey-Mediated Effects of Transgenic Bt Rice on &lt;I&gt;Ummeliata insecticeps&lt;/I&gt; (Araneida: Linyphiidae)

One major concern regarding the release of Bt rice is its potential impact through tritrophic interactions on nontarget arthropods, especially natural enemies. We studied the effects of two Bt transgenic rice varieties, TT9- 3 and KMD1, expressing Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac and Cry1Ab, respectively, on a predatory ground spider [Ummeliata insecticeps (Bösenberg et Strand)] supplied with Bt rice-fed brown planthopper [Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)] nymphs. Although immunoassays confirmed that U. insecticeps ingested Bt insecticidal protein when supplied with Bt rice-fed N. lugens, no negative effects were found on its survival and development. Furthermore, the fecundity of U. insecticeps fed prey reared on Bt rice was not significantly different from that of those fed prey reared on non-Bt rice. A 3-yr field trial indicated that Bt rice did not significantly affect the population density of U. insecticeps in comparison with non-Bt rice. In conclusion, the Bt rice lines tested in this study had no adverse effects on the survival, developmental time, or fecundity of U. insecticeps in the laboratory or on population dynamics in the field.

Field assessment of novaluron for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), management in Louisiana sugarcane

On-farm field experiments were conducted in 2004 and 2007 to assess the suitability of novaluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), management in Louisiana sugarcane ( Saccharum spp. hybrids). Aerial insecticide applications reproducing commercial production practices were made when D. saccharalis infestation levels exceeded a recommended action threshold. In addition to decreased D. saccharalis infestations, 6.3 – 14.5-fold reductions in end of season injury, expressed as the percentage of bored sugarcane internodes, were observed in plots treated with novaluron. D. saccharalis control in novaluron plots was equivalent to ( P > 0.05) or better ( P < 0.05) than that achieved with tebufenozide, an ecdysone agonist that has been extensively used for over a decade on sugarcane. With a numerical trend of a 3.1-fold decrease in percent bored internodes, the pyrethroid gamma-cyhalothrin seemed less effective than the biorational insecticides in protecting sugarcane against D. saccharalis. Using continuous pitfall trap sampling, no measurable ( P > 0.05) decreases in predaceous and non-predaceous soil-dwelling non-target arthropods were associated with insecticides. However, numerical trends for decreases in immature crickets associated with novaluron and gamma-cyhalothrin were recorded in 2007. Our data suggest that novaluron will fit well in Louisiana sugarcane integrated pest management.

Exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide affects agrobiont predatory arthropod behaviour and long-term survival

Humans commonly apply chemicals to manage agroecosystems. If those chemicals influence the behaviour or survival of non-target arthropods, the food web could be altered in unintended ways. Glyphosate-based herbicides are among the most ubiquitous pesticides used around the world, yet little is known about if and how they might affect the success of terrestrial predatory arthropods in agroecosystems. In this study, we quantified the effects of a commercial formulation of a glyphosate-based herbicide on the activity of three predatory arthropod species that inhabit agricultural fields in the eastern United States. We also measured the survival of the most common species. We tested the reactions of the wolf spider, Pardosa milvina, to either direct application (topical) or contact with a treated substrate (residual). We quantified the reactions of a larger wolf spider, Hogna helluo, and a ground beetle, Scarites quadriceps, to a compound (topical plus residual) exposure. Pardosa milvina reduced locomotion time and distance under topical herbicide exposure, but increased speed and non-locomotory activity time on exposed substrate. Both H. helluo and S. quadriceps increased non-locomotory activity time under compound herbicide exposure. Over a period of 60 days post-exposure, residually exposed P. milvina exhibited lower survivorship compared to topically exposed and control groups. Thus, exposure of terrestrial arthropods to glyphosate-based herbicides affects their behaviour and long-term survival. These results suggest that herbicides can affect arthropod community dynamics separate from their impact on the plant community and may influence biological control in agroecosystems.

General recommendations for soil ecotoxicological tests suitable for the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants

Before a genetically modified plant (GMP) can be placed on the market in the European Union (EU), an environmental risk assessment has to be conducted according to EU-Directive 2001/18/EC or Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council. However, no harmonized concept for ecotoxicological testing is available today that considers the characteristics of GMPs as a whole. In fact, to date, mainly ecotoxicological tests originally developed and standardized for pesticides are used for this purpose. Frequently in these tests, not the whole GMP is tested but only specific transgene products (mainly toxins). In this contribution, ecotoxicological methods developed for the testing of pesticides are evaluated for whether they are suitable for risk assessment of GMPs as well. In total, 105 test methods covering a wide range of terrestrial invertebrates, microbes, and plants (laboratory, semifield, and field levels) were assessed. Only 7 of them had already been used with GMPs, and in about 20 studies the existing tests methods were modified, mostly in a way such that nonstandard species were used. In the laboratory, few earthworm and nontarget arthropod (NTA) species as well as collembolans and isopods were tested, and, in the field, only the litter-bag test was used. Clearly, more species than these few standard organisms currently in use have to be selected for testing purposes. A more detailed analysis of GMP tests with soil invertebrates published in the literature revealed that some of the relevant GMP exposure routes, such as via bulk soil, soil porewater, and litter from GMPs, are well covered. However, studies addressing either consumption of GMPs themselves or secondary exposure after GMPs have been taken up by invertebrates that feed on living or dead GMPs are underrepresented.

The effects of hydramethylnon on the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and non-target arthropods on Spit Island, Midway Atoll, Hawaii

Invasive ants can cause major disruptions in native ecosystems. Ant eradication methods without significant non-target effects are needed to stop incipient invasions and to aid in ecosystem restoration. Successful ant eradications are rare and there is very little understanding of the effects of ant eradication methods, such as the use of formicides, on non-target species. Here we attempted to control and possibly eradicate the invasive tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata, from a small islet using the formicide Maxforce® (active ingredient: hydramethylnon), and to quantify the non-target effects on an almost exclusively alien ground-dwelling arthropod community. S. geminata abundance was reduced and the species was not detected on bait cards for 12 months post-treatment. The abundance of another non-target invasive ant that was primarily detected in pitfall traps, Tetramoruim bicarinatum, declined in pitfall traps following treatment, but seemed to be excluded from bait cards by S. geminata. Total ant abundance did not return to original levels until more than 12 months post-treatment. Populations of alien cockroaches (Order Blattaria) and crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) were negatively affected by the treatment. We conclude that Maxforce® can be used to control small infestations of S. geminata and T. bicarinatum effectively; however we recommend it be used cautiously due to the potential ecological cost to non-target species. Use in areas where infestations are small and isolated will maximize the likelihood of success while minimizing non-target effects.

Identifying signatures of pesticide applications on indigenous and invasive non-target arthropod communities from vineyards

Identifying signatures of pesticide applications on indigenous and invasive non-target arthropod communities from vineyards

Impact of Broadcast Applications of Hydramethylnon and Fipronil on Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Nontarget Arthropods

Impact of Broadcast Applications of Hydramethylnon and Fipronil on Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Nontarget Arthropods

Exploration of potential microbial control agents for the invasive crayfish, Orconectes virilis

The introduced crayfish, Orconectes virilis (Cambarinae; Hagen 1870), has become a serious invasive species in Arizona (USA), altering stream ecosystems and contributing to the decline of native species. But because it is native to the eastern US, and related crayfish including endangered species inhabit nearby states, introduction of a biological control agent presents a unique challenge. This represents a feasibility study, in which we explored bacteria, nematodes, and a virus as potential biological control agents for O. virilis while avoiding harm to native species. White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) from shrimp was found to be highly pathogenic and readily passed by cannibalistic behavior but not by water transmission. Potential activity of WSSV against representative non-target arthropods that may be found in the same ecosystems was also explored.

The toxic effects of benzyl glucosinolate and its hydrolysis product, the biofumigant benzyl isothiocyanate, to Folsomia fimetaria

Natural isothiocyanates (ITCs) are toxic to a range of pathogenic soil-living species, including nematodes and fungi, and can thus be used as natural fumigants called biofumigants. Natural isothiocyanates are hydrolysis products of glucosinolates (GSLs) released from plants after cell rupture. The study investigated the toxic effects of benzyl-GSL and its hydrolysis product benzyl-ITC on the springtail Folsomia fimetaria, a beneficial nontarget soil-dwelling micro-arthropod. The soil used was a sandy agricultural soil. Half-lives for benzyl-ITC in the soil depended on the initial soil concentration, ranging from 0.2 h for 67 nmol/g to 13.2 h for 3,351 nmol/g. For benzyl-ITC, the concentration resulting in 50% lethality (LC50) value for F. fimetaria adult mortality was 110 nmol/g (16.4 mg/kg) and the concentration resulting in 50% effect (EC50) value for juvenile production was 65 nmol/g (9.7 mg/kg). Benzyl-GSL proved to be less toxic and consequently an LC50 value for mortality could not be estimated for springtails exposed to benzyl-GSL. For reproduction, an EC50 value was estimated to approximately 690 nmol/g. The study indicates that natural soil concentrations of ITCs may be toxic to beneficial nontarget soil-dwelling arthropods such as springtails.

Long‐term effects of imidacloprid on the abundance of surface‐ and soil‐active nontarget fauna in turf

AbstractOutbreaks of root‐feeding scarab larvae in turfgrass are widely managed through preventive applications of imidacloprid. Long‐residual activity and application before feasible scouting probably lead to its overuse and overexposure.Recent investigations revealed a selective impact of imidacloprid (not trichlorfon or halofenozide) on certain nontarget turf arthropods, motivating the present study on the persistence of abundance effects over 6 years of annual applications.Arthropods were sampled monthly (July to October) in replicated plots using soil core heat extraction and pitfall traps to quantify soil‐ and surface‐active arthropods. Captures were identified to class, order or family. The most represented taxa were analysed to test for cumulative effects and their change over season and year.Imidacloprid had no impact on pitfall captures, although the abundance of Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, Coleoptera and Collembola was suppressed in soil core captures. Among beetles, impact was expressed in adults (not larvae), and in Carabidae and Staphylinidae (not Chrysomelidae or Curculionidae). Among springtails, impact was expressed in Entomobryomorpha (not Poduromorpha or Symphypleona). Impact did not diminish with year but there was variable recovery between applications.There may therefore be a diverging response of soil‐ and surface‐active fauna to the nontarget impacts of imidacloprid. The suppression of predaceous (not phytophagous) beetles indicates an indirect effect mediated through declines in prey populations.The magnitude of abundance effects confirms that the balance between target and nontarget impact should be explicitly examined. Implications are discussed with respect to functional relevance for nutrient cycling and the natural regulation of pests.

Effects of processed kaolin on pests and non-target arthropods in a Spanish olive grove

The particle film technology based on processed kaolin sprays has been recently introduced for the control of the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), the key pest of olive groves. A 3-year field experiment was conducted from 2005 to 2007 at Villarejo de Salvanes, Spain to assess the efficacy of a kaolin-based product (Surround WP) for controlling B.oleae and two other olive insect pests: the olive black scale Saissetiaoleae (Olivier) and the olive psyllid Euphylluraolivina (Costa). The effects of Surround WP on the arthropod community of olive trees and on natural enemies were also evaluated. In a high olive fruit fly pressure year (2007), Surround WP sprays significantly reduced the incidence of B. oleae and that of S. oleae. However, Surround WP treatments did not have any effect on E. olivina populations. Both the abundance and the diversity of arthropods were reduced by Surround WP treatment. The principal response curve (PRC) analysis revealed a significant deleterious effect of Surround WP on the natural enemy arthropod community of the olive grove. The most affected taxa were the following: the coccinellids Scymnus mediterraneus Iablokoff-Khnzorian, Stethorus punctillum Weise and Hyperaspis reppensis (Hbst.); the mirid Brachynotocoris ferreri n. sp. Baena (in litteris); different species of Orius and the families of Philodromidae, Scelionidae, Pteromalidae, Chrysopidae and Aphelinidae. Processed kaolin is proposed as an alternative to chemical control of the olive fruit fly. However, the effect of processed kaolin treatments on natural enemies should be taken into account in a rational pest control programme.

Short communication. Incidence of the OLIPE mass-trapping on olive non-target arthropods

Due to the widespread of mass-trapping systems for Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) (Diptera: Tephritidae) control in organic olive cropping, an assessment of the impact on arthropods of the olive agroecosystem was undertaken for the OLIPE trap type. The sampling was carried out in "Los Pedroches" valley (Córdoba, southern Spain) in three different organic orchard sites. Six OLIPE traps baited with diammonium phosphate were collected from each site (18 in total) from July to November 2002 every 15 days on average. Additionally, in the latest sampling dates, half the traps were reinforced with pheromone to assess its impact on non-target arthropods. From an average of 43.0 catches per trap (cpt) of non-target arthropods during the whole sampling period, the highest number of captures corresponds to the Order Diptera (that represents a 68.5%), followed distantly by the family Formicidae (12.9%) and the Order Lepidoptera (10.4%). Besides the impact on ant populations, other beneficial groups were recorded such as parasitoids (other Hymenoptera: 2.6%) and predators (Araneae: 1.0%; Neuroptera s.l.: 0.4%). Concerning the temporal distribution of catches, total captures peaked on July and had a slight increase at the beginning of autumn. No significant differences were observed between traps with and without pheromone. The results evidence that a considerable amount of non-specific captures could be prevented by improving the temporal planning of the mass-trapping system.