Streams within agricultural landscapes receive genetically engineered corn leaves containing distinct and traceable compounds (hereafter 'Cry1Ab') through wind and surface runoff. Once in streams, Cry1Ab leaches from corn leaves; yet the dispersal of this leached material and its influences on stream ecosystems have not been determined. In terrestrial ecosystems, the fates of leached Cry1Ab have been studied in detail and include sorption to soil particles and degradation by soil microbes. Cry1Ab may behave similarly in streams; however, effects may be more widespread because stream flow may transport the material downstream. In this study, water samples collected along streams will be analyzed for Cry1Ab to determine its spatial distribution in the environment. In the laboratory, mesocosm experiments will determine the sorption capacity and degradation of the Cry1Ab in aquatic environments. Genetically engineered crops are being introduced at a rate that outpaces our scientific understanding of the potential effects that this new technology may have on stream organisms and habitats. Compared to terrestrial systems, we have a limited knowledge of how genetically engineered corn affects aquatic ecosystems. Cry1Ab does enter streams and may be transported downstream with unknown ecosystem consequences. It is essential to consider the effects of such materials in aquatic ecosystems, in order to fully understand the impacts that widespread planting of genetically engineered crops will have on our surface waters and the organisms they contain.
