Beyond the target insects: impacts of Bti on aquatic macrofauna communities.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) was introduced as a pest control method in the 1980s, claiming not only to be effective, but also to target specific insect groups including Culicidae and Simulidae, with no substantial effects on non-target species or to the local ecosystem.

Methods

To test these claims, we applied Bti to a naturally colonized, replicated set of aquatic macrocosms under realistic, field-like conditions, and investigated impacts on non-target species, including effects on related taxa and higher trophic levels.

Results

Our results indicate limited effects on most invertebrate prey taxa, with the exception of a decimation of the Chironomidae, which compose up to 50% of the biomass of these aquatic ecosystems. Effects on

SUBMITTER: van Nieuwpoort JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12239451 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature