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Einzelansicht
Montag, 31. März 2008
Gentechnik und Ökologie
GMLS 2008: Implications of GM crop cultivation at large spatial scales
Bremen, April 2-4, 2008
University of Bremen, Germany - Conference hall: GW 1 Hörsaal
Bremen, Universitätsallee
Weitere Informationen zum Programm und die Tagungsdokumentation finden Sie auf der Homepage
Aims
Ecological, agricultural and economic implications of genetically modified (GM) plant on large spatial scales are currently discussed in science, administration, and in the context of agricultural practice. It is still controversial how effects with great spatial extent can be assessed in risk analysis, in the approval procedure, in the planning of co-existence measures, and in post market monitoring. The conference aims at compiling methods and strategies which address the issues related to large scale cultivation of GM plants. Topics include empirical work related to risk assessment, theoretical concepts, as well as methodological aspects such as modelling and data analysis facing large spatial and temporal dimensions
Context
Genetically Modified plants are tested under specific local conditions, however, notification of an event is granted for the entire European Union. It is not obvious how processes analysed on the laboratory and field level may be extrapolated to landscapes and regions. Experiences gained under different climatic and biocenotic conditions, e.g., in the US may neither be valid nor transferable to other regions which differ in biogeographic conditions, e.g., a highly structured agricultural environment or different cultivation methods. Additionally, it is difficult to test the range of potential combinations of effects in laboratory experiments. These aspects gain relevance as GM plants can reproduce and potentially persist in near-natural habitats.
Hence, the relevance of long-term processes become obvious. With respect to the co-existence of different production systems, reliable co-existence measures must base on an ex ante regional analysis in order to secure segregation in cultivation and processing. All the more, the development of adequate methods is decisive to address potential risks on large spatial scales. Different methodologies have been suggested in the last years to analyse potential large-area and long-term effects of GM plant cultivation. These include extrapolation techniques - among others - based on modelling, remote sensing as well as analyses using geographic information systems (GIS) and data base networks.
With this conference we want to provide a platform to collate and discuss available methods and the state-of-the-art in the relevant disciplines. Our intention is to bring together expertise from different fields to communicate innovative methods and to enhance progress in assessing large scale implications of GM cultivation.
The conference contributes to the Social-Ecological Research funded by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) (http://www.sozial-oekologische-forschung.org/en/index.php). Social ecological research attempts to collate general strategies to cope with systemic risks brought about by recent social and technological developments. The management of theses risks requires the involvement of larger sectors of modern society due to the inherent complex ways of modern societies to organise and access natural resources
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