GMO Research Programme - Reports
The Potential Value of the Field Scale Evaluations in Assessing the Impact of GMHT Crops on Birds and Mammals
Ref EPG 1/5/137
Synopsis
This project investigated the potential for making direct measurements of birds and mammals as part of the GM crop farm-scale evaluations. The authors tested various study methods to measure the use of the crops types by birds in both summer and winter.
The authors found that by using some intensive survey methods there was the potential to detect differences in use of some species between GM and non-GM crop halves in both summer and winter. However the authors urged caution owing to the small sample sizes and made the overall conclusion that the studies were useful as a baseline for future studies but less so as a definitive statement of the practicality of using the FSE sites to study birds and mammals.
This project was undertaken in summer 2000 and winter 2000/2001. It was completed in June 2002. The publication of this report was embargoed by the FSE scientific steering committee until the completion of the farm-scale evaluations. This action was taken as the final report contained data that could be used to identify differences between the GM and non-GM crops being studied. However, the conclusions of the report were considered by the SSC and Defra at the time and acted upon.
The report was made available to the scientific steering committee as soon as completed. On the basis of this report, and in consultation with the SSC, it was decided by Defra, not to extend the FSE to include the direct measurement of birds. Instead it was agreed to continue with the measurements of weeds and insects that formed the resources for birds and to commission further work to model these relationships. One such report was published on 13th October "Modelling the effects on farmland food webs of herbicide and insecticide management in the agricultural ecosystem" - see EPG 1/5/188.
Start and completion dates
Project started 2000 and completed June 2002.
Final report
Available to download in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format (460 KB).
Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading PDF documents.
Contact details
Contractors
Dr D. E. Chamberlain
British Trust for Ornithology
The National Centre for Ornithology
The Nunnery
Thetford
Norfolk
IP24 2PUDefra
Dr Nick Brickle
3/E8 Ashdown House
123 Victoria Street
London, SW1E 6DE.
GM@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Page published 18 November
2003;
Page last modified
2 March, 2004