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Scientists Warn of Danger with Genetically Engineered Corn

Published October 10, 2007 by: Regina Sass
I have been writing, editing and doing advertising online for 10 years. I have been a gardener for more than 50 years. I am a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Genetically Engineered Bt Genetically Modified Danger Streams
Environmental researchers at Indiana University are warning of a danger that comes from genetically engineered corn crops. Their research shows that one of the most widely planted varieties can potentially harm the aquatic ecosystems.

They have discovered that the pollen and parts of the plants of the Bt variety of genetically engineered corn are being washed into the streams near the fields and the pollen and parts are toxic.

Their lab trials also showed that eating Bt corn byproducts increased the death rates and reduced the growth of caddisflies, which are aquatic insects that happen to be related to the destructive insects that the toxin in Bt corn is supposed to kill. The caddisflies are not harmful and in fact are food for fish and amphibians. Killing them off with the toxins is interfering with the whole ecosystem.

Bt corn has been genetically engineered to have a gene that normally exists in a micro-organism called Bacillus thuringiensis. This gene produces a toxin that will protect the corn from harmful insects and one that it is targeted to kill is the European corn borer. This variety of corn has been in use since 1996. Figures show that in 2006, 35% of the entire corn crop in the county is a genetically modified variety.

Genetically engineered crops have to be licensed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to see if they will have any adverse effects, but when Bt was tested, they tested it on a crustacean called Daphnia. This creature is one that is commonly used in tests, but they are in no way related to the insects that the toxins are designed to kill and therefor the tests gave no indication of the actual impact the toxins would have.

This is not the first time that there has been controversy about the Bt corn. Back in 1999, there was a report that showed it might be harmful to monarch butterflies. The federal government's Agriculture Research Service conducted studies and determined that there was no significant threat to the monarchs, but it was this study that prompted this team to explore if there was any other impact from Bt corn affecting the streams

The research took more than 2 years to complete. The actual research itself was done in 2005 and 2006 and then they needed to compile and report on the findings. They conducted the research in one of the heavily famed sections in northern Indiana. They measured the input of Bt corm pollen and parts of the plant like leaves and cobs in a total of 12 headwater streams. They collected the material for the tests using litter traps. The also found pollen from the corn inside certain caddisflies, which meant they were feeding on the pollen

When they conducted the lab tests, they fed some of the caddisflies leaves from the corn and another group were fed non Bt corn litter. The results showed that the group fed the leaves from. By corn had growth rates less than half of those who were fed the other diet.

They also found that a different type of caddisfly had a higher death rate when they were exposed to Bt corn pollen at levels that were between 2 and 3 times the level found in the test sites.

They found very different levels of the corn pollen and the byproducts at different locations. They also say there is likely that there will be differences in different areas. Farmers in Iowa and Illinois are planting more of the Bt corn than farmers in Indiana, therefor, even though the levels that killed the caddisflies in Indiana, might be normal levels in Iowa and Illinois and might be the actual conditions in the streams in those states.

The lead researcher is Todd V. Royer, an assistant professor in the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the rest of the team is Emma Rosi-Marshall of Loyola University Chicago, Jennifer Tank of the University of Notre Dame and Matt Whiles of Southern Illinois University.

It was funded by the National Science Foundation.

Scientists Warn of Danger

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Genetically Modified Corn Could Hurt Aquatic Systems

Published October 10, 2007 by:
Shirley Gregory

I earned a geology degree from Northwestern University, and have written for The Chicago Tribune, Daily Journal, internet.com, Web Hosting Magazine, and other magazines, newspapers and Internet publications

"Genetically Modified Genetically Modified Food Genetically Engineered
Study Finds Genetically Modified Pollen Harms Beneficial Bugs

Material from genetically modified (GM) corn could harm aquatic insects and the fish and amphibians that feed on them, according to a new study announced by Indiana University (IU).

A team of researchers from IU, Loyola University Chicago, the University of Notre Dame and Southern Illinois University found that caddisflies that ate leaves from GM corn had growth rates less than half of those without such a diet. They also discovered that a different variety of caddisfly died in higher numbers when exposed to very high levels of GM corn pollen.

Caddisflies "are a food resource for higher organisms like fish and amphibians," said Todd V. Royer, an assistant professor at IU's School of Public and Environmental Affairs. "And, if our goal is to have healthy, functioning ecosystems, we need to protect all the parts. Water resources are something we depend on greatly."

Royer and other members of the research team tested for signs of GM corn pollen, leaves and cobs in 12 headwater streams in a heavily farmed part of northern Indiana. They found varying levels of GM pollen and other materials in stream water, as well as signs of corn pollen in the guts of certain caddisflies.

While the areas the team covered didn't show levels of GM byproducts high enough to cause the higher fly death rates found in the lab, such levels "could potentially represent conditions in streams of the western Corn Belt," Royer said.

A type of GM corn known as Bt corn is now widely planted across the U.S.; in fact, about 35 percent of farmland for corn was planted with the Bt variety in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The corn was engineered to include a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis, a microorganism that produces a toxin deadly to crop pests.

While beneficial to the environment, caddisflies are related to the European corn borer and other pests targeted by Bt corn. Before approving Bt corn, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested for potential harm to aquatic insects, but it used a crustacean known as Daphnia rather than an insect more closely related to the pests aimed at by Bt corn.

Study Finds Genetically Modified Pollen Harms Beneficial Bugs
"Every new technology comes with some benefits and some risks," Royer said. "I think probably the risks associated with widespread planting of Bt corn were not fully assessed."

Other members of the research team that published its findings in this week's Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences include Emma Rosi-Marshall of Loyola University Chicago, Jennifer Tank of the University of Notre Dame and Matt Whiles of Southern Illinois University.

Indiana University, "Study Shows Genetically Engineered Corn Could Affect Aquatic Ecosystems." URL: (http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/6507.html)

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