Monitoring and surveillance of genetically modified higher plants: Guidelines for procedures and analysis of environmental effects - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3764362278 ISBN 13: 9783764362270

Publisher: Birkhäuser, 2001

Synopsis

There is an urgent need for guidelines for monitoring of genetically modified higher plants, GMHP. Biotech crops are now cultivated in large scale in North America and elsewhere. In Europe, new genetically modified (GM) products will probably be placed on the market soon and made available of any negative ef­ for cultivation in the field. Monitoring and surveillance programs for detection fects to the environment must be designed and ready when these crops are released. This also corre­ sponds to the current intentions made by the European Commission to include monitoring in current biotechnology regulation. Monitoring of changes in biological systems is different from other types of environmental monitoring, such as monitoring fate of chemical pollutants, by focusing primarily on organism survival and organism interactions instead of physical and chemical parameters. The difficulties involved in monitoring biological systems are great, due to the complex interactions between organisms and the variability in responses. Problems concerning spatial and temporal pa­ rameter variation increase the difficulties, but may be remedied somewhat by the use of "baselines". These and many other questions are discussed in the present book with the aim of presenting practi­ cal solutions to the needs of GMHP monitoring. A project was initiated in 1998 to produce a book with guidelines for monitoring and surveillance of GMHP. In two earlier books, compilations of current test methods for risk assessment of GMHP were presented (Kjellsson & Simonsen 1994, Kjellsson et al. 1997).

About this title

Synopsis

The monitoring and surveillance of genetically modified higher plants (GMHP) is an area that is still lacking an established international monitoring programme. This volume presents ideas and suggestions by focusing on procedures in composing such a programme and methods for detection of transgene dispersal and of environmental effects when GM plants are cultivated. Objectives and procedures for monitoring and surveying present and new types of GM plants are described, including herbicide tolerance, insect resistance and changed agronomic performance. Other issues covered in this book include: detection of GM plant dispersal and hybridisation; agricultural use and large scale effects; habitat selection and community invasibility; baseline definition and the time perspective; effects on ecosystems, vegetation and organism groups; sampling designs; data analysis and relevant statistical methods. In a final chapter, conclusions and recommendations are presented. The book is an extension of Methods for Risk Assessment of Transgenic Plants, vol. I-III (published at Birkh user Publ. Inc. in 1994, 1997 and 1999, respectively) with tools for analyses of the consequences when GM plants are released in the field.

It is primarily written for researchers, administrators and biologists who are involved in planning and evaluation of field monitoring, risk assessment or management of GM plants, but also addresses anyone who takes an interest in general issues concerning monitoring plant invasion or environmental effects from new crops.

Edition details

• Publisher: Birkhäuser
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3764362278
• ISBN 13: 9783764362270
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 126
• Editor: Kjellson Gösta, Strandberg Morten