Effects of the cultivation of genetically modified Bt crops on nontarget soil organisms - Microbial Ecology in Sustainable Agroecosystems - page 197

Table 8.8 Summary of the Effects of Cultivation with Bt Crops or Amendment with Bt Proteins on Microarthropods
Organism/activity
tested

Bt plant/experimental
variable

Species Study location Protein Effect on organism(s) Source

Collembola Folsomia candida

Xenylla grisea

Laboratory
(Petri dish
microcosms)

Added four purified
proteins to diet

Cry1Ab
Cry1Ac
Cry2A
Cry3A

No effect on survival
or reproduction over
21 days

Sims and
Martin
(1997)

Woodlouse Porcellio scaber Laboratory Fed purified protein Cry2A No toxic effect Sims (1997)

Collembola
Mite

Folsomia candida
Oppia nitens

Laboratory Fed leaves of Bt and

non- Bt cotton or
leaves of Bt and
non- Bt potato

Cry1Ab/
Ac
Cry3A

No effects on
oviposition, egg
number, or body
length

Yu et al.
(1997)

Woodlouse Porcellio scaber Laboratory Fed biomass of Bt and

non- Bt maize

Cry1Ab No negative effect of

Bt maize litter on
consumption,
reproduction, and
growth

Escher et al.
(2000)

Collembola Folsomia candida Field Cultivation of Bt and

non- Bt maize or Bt
and non- Bt cotton

Cry1Ab
Cry1Ac

No effect on F. candida
numbers

EPA (2001b)

Woodlouse Porcellio scaber Laboratory Fed biomass of Bt and

non- Bt maize

Cry1Ab Fed less on Bt maize

than on non- Bt maize
during a 20-day
feeding period

Wandeler et
al. (2002)

Collembola
Mites

Natural
populations

Field Cultivation of Bt and

non- Bt maize

Cry3Bb1 No negative effects on

numbers of
collembolans or mites

Al-Deeb et
al. (2003)

Woodlouse Porcellio scaber Laboratory Fed Bt and non- Bt

maize leaves

Cry1Ab No toxic effect Pont and

Nentwig
(2005)
(continued)