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Brazilian Free-tailed Bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) as Insect Pest Regulators in Transgenic and Conventional Cotton Crops
Citation:
Federico, P., T. G. Hallam, G. F. McCracken, S. T. PURUCKER, W. E. Grant, A. N. Correa Sandoval, J. K. Westbrook, R. A. Medellin, C. J. Cleveland, C. G. Sansone, J. D. Lopez, M. Betke, A. Moreno-Valdez, AND T. H. Kunz. Brazilian Free-tailed Bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) as Insect Pest Regulators in Transgenic and Conventional Cotton Crops. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS. Ecological Society of America, Ithaca, NY, 18(4):826-837, (2008).
Impact/Purpose:
Developed a dynamic model to predict regional-scale ecological functions in agricultural food webs by using the indicators of insect pest herbivory measured by cotton boll damage and insect emigration from cotton.
Description:
During the past 12,000 years agricultural systems have transitioned from natural habitats to conventional agricultural regions, and recently to large areas of genetically- engineered (GE) croplands. This GE revolution occurred for cotton in a span of slightly more than a decade where a switch occurred in major cotton production areas from growing 100% conventional cotton to an environment where 95% transgenics are grown. Ecological interactions between GE targeted insects and non-targeted insectivorous insects have been investigated. However, the relationships between ecological functions (such as herbivory and ecosystem transport) and agronomic benefits of avian or mammalian insectivores in the transgenic environment are generally remain unclear. However, the importance of some agricultural pest management services provided by insectivorous species such as the Brazilian free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis, have been recognized.