Selecting surrogated species is the first step for environmental risk assessment of GM crop on non-target arthropods. To select surrogated species considering the domestic environment, we surveyed the arthropod fauna in five main localities (Changnyeong-gun in Gyeongsangnam-do, Goesan-gun in Chungcheongbuk-do, Gokseong-gun in Jeollanam-do, Hongcheon-gun in Gangwon-do and Hwaseong-si in Gyeonggi-do) in which maize was cultivated with large scale. Maize is one of the main imported GM crop in Korea. Arthropods were surveyed with yellow sticky traps and pitfall traps from May to August with a week interval considering the crop growing season in 2012 and 2013. A total of 135 species of 51 families in 13 orders were identified from the 17,470 arthropods. Six orders (Coleoptera, Araneae, Hemiptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera) were dominant in species richness and three orders (Collembola, Thysanoptera and Diptera) in abundance, representing 84% and 86% of the total, respectively. In the composition of fuctional guilds, herbivore group was the most dominant followed by predator group occupying 40% and 37% of the total abundance.

Field studies were conducted to assess potential effects of transgenic rice expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) CryIAc1 protein, which is highly effective the rice leafroller, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, on the rice insect community in 2007 and 2008. Insects were sampled in non-Bt and Bt rice plots with a sweep net and a suction devise. A total of 64,256 individuals in 45 families and 11 orders (30,860 individuals in 43 families and 11 orders in the Bt-rice plots, and 33,396 individuals in 40 families and 11 order in the non-Bt rice plots) were captured and grouped by ecological functional guilds. Species diversity and richness were not significantly different between Bt-rice and non-Bt rice plots. The seasonal pattern of the insect community and the seasonal population fluctuation of insects were very similar between two plots. Collectively, the rice insect community was not influenced by the Bt-rice in the present study.

Field survey was conducted to determine the differences of spider community between traditional farming and environmental friendly farming at 17 localities, Korea in 2008. In guild structure, The occupancy rate of pest group, general group and natural enemy group was 37.3%, 41.0% and 21.6% respectively in environmental friendly farming, and 36.9%, 35.6% and 27.5% respectively in traditional farming. Among natural enemy group, parasitoids and predators were 15.8% and 84.2% respectively in environmental friendly farming, and 28.1% and 71.9% respectively in traditional farming. Among natural enemy group, rice field spiders were 74.4% and 62.2% in environmental friendly farming and traditional farming respectively. Among predators, rice field spiders were 86.7% in environmental friendly farming and 84.9% in traditional farming. Rice field spider community comprises 28 species of 24 genera belonging to 10 families and 30 species of 24 genera belonging to 10 families in environmental friendly farming and traditional farming respectively. Dominant families were Lycosidae, Linyphiidae and Tetragnathidae and dominant species were Pirata subpiraticus, Ummeliata insecticeps, Tetragnatha maxillosa, Gnathonarium dentatum and Packygnatha clercki in both agricultural practices. The ratio of hunting spiders and webbing spiders was similar between agricultural practices.

Two important loci, designated Rhg1 and Rhg4, are responsible for most resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN). The objective of this study was to survey single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and to map the SCN-resistant gene, Rhg4, on soybean genetic ma