ARPHA Preprints, doi: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e101323
Milestone 15 Protocols for semi-field and field experiments
Matthew J Allan‡, Robin Dean§, Alexandra-Maria Klein|, Dimitry Wintermantel¶, Matthias Albrecht#, Janine Schwarz#, Anina Knauer#‡ Atlantic Pollination Ltd, Eastleigh, United Kingdom§ Red Beehive Company, Bishops Waltham, United Kingdom| University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany¶ University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany# Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Zurich, Switzerland
Corresponding author: Matthew J Allan ( matt@atlanticpollination.com ) © Matthew J Allan, Robin Dean, Alexandra-Maria Klein, Dimitry Wintermantel, Matthias Albrecht, Janine Schwarz, Anina Knauer. This is an open access preprint distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Citation:
Allan MJ, Dean R, Klein A-M, Wintermantel D, Albrecht M, Schwarz J, Knauer A (2023) Milestone 15 Protocols for semi-field and field experiments. ARPHA Preprints. https://doi.org/10.3897/arphapreprints.e101323 |  |
Abstract
Under the terms of the PoshBee agreement, the members tasked with delivering Work Package 7 carried out semi-field and field studies on honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees. These studies involved the exposure of the bees to more than one stressor, for example a fungicide and an insecticide or a fungicide and a nutritional deficiency. This is in contrast to the conventional study design where one stressor or product alone is assessed.
These studies built upon recommendations by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Prevention of Honeybee Colony Losses (COLOSS), and the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The team of researchers incorporated several innovative approaches in designing and carrying out the studies. In the authors’ view both the quality and quantity of data required for ecotoxicology studies can be improved by adoption of novel methods, including electronic means and artificial intelligence, and the design, manufacture and use of equipment specifically for such studies. Several examples are described.
It is the intention of the team to include in this document practical advice for workers who are not familiar with such studies.
These studies built upon recommendations by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Prevention of Honeybee Colony Losses (COLOSS), and the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The team of researchers incorporated several innovative approaches in designing and carrying out the studies. In the authors’ view both the quality and quantity of data required for ecotoxicology studies can be improved by adoption of novel methods, including electronic means and artificial intelligence, and the design, manufacture and use of equipment specifically for such studies. Several examples are described.
It is the intention of the team to include in this document practical advice for workers who are not familiar with such studies.
Keywords
Environmental health, Animal physiology, Entomology, Environmental stressors, Apiculture, Animal health