Effects of genetically modified maize events expressing Cry34Ab1, Cry35Ab1, Cry1F,and CP4 EPSPS proteins on arthropod complex food webs |
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| Authors: | Zoltán Pálinkás József Kiss Mihály Zalai Ágnes Szénási Zita Dorner Samuel North Guy Woodward Adalbert Balog |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Szent István University, G?d?ll?, Hungary;2. Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom;3. Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Technical and Human Science, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Cluj Napoca, Romania |
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| Abstract: | Four genetically modified (GM) maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids (coleopteran resistant, coleopteran and lepidopteran resistant, lepidopteran resistant and herbicide tolerant, coleopteran and herbicide tolerant) and its non‐GM control maize stands were tested to compare the functional diversity of arthropods and to determine whether genetic modifications alter the structure of arthropods food webs. A total number of 399,239 arthropod individuals were used for analyses. The trophic groups’ number and the links between them indicated that neither the higher magnitude of Bt toxins (included resistance against insect, and against both insects and glyphosate) nor the extra glyphosate treatment changed the structure of food webs. However, differences in the average trophic links/trophic groups were detected between GM and non‐GM food webs for herbivore groups and plants. Also, differences in characteristic path lengths between GM and non‐GM food webs for herbivores were observed. Food webs parameterized based on 2‐year in‐field assessments, and their properties can be considered a useful and simple tool to evaluate the effects of Bt toxins on non‐target organisms. |
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| Keywords: | characteristic path length herbivores non‐target organisms predators trophic groups |
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