Imidacloprid seed treatments affect individual ant behavior and community structure but not egg predation, pest abundance or soybean yield.

摘要: Background Neonicotinoid seed treatments are under scrutiny because of their variable efficacy against crop pests and for potential negative impacts on non-target organisms. Ants provide important biocontrol services in agroecosystems can be indicators ecosystem health. This study tested effects exposure to imidacloprid plus fungicide or fungicide-treated seeds individual ant survival, locomotion foraging capabilities field community structure, pest abundance, predation yield. Results Cohorts ants exposed either type treated had impaired a higher incidence morbidity mortality but no loss capacity. In the field, we saw difference species richness, regardless treatment. Blocks with did have evenness diversity, probably owing insecticide different species, particularly Tetramorium caespitum. Ant sentinel eggs, abundance soybean growth yield were similar two treatments. Conclusion Both lethal sublethal individuals, influence coating was manifested altered composition. Those effects, however, not strong enough affect egg predation, blocks. © 2016 Society Chemical Industry.