Replication, effect sizes and identifying the biological impacts of pesticides on bees under field conditions
Woodcock, Ben A. ; Heard, Matthew S. ; Jitlal, Mark S. ; Rundlöf, Maj LU
; Bullock, James M.
; Shore, Richard F.
and Pywell, Richard F.
(2016)
In Journal of Applied Ecology
53(5).
p.1358-1362
- Abstract
Honeybees have world-wide importance as crop pollinators. To ensure their persistence in agricultural systems, statistically robust field trials of plant protection products are vital. We consider the implications of regulations from the European Food Safety Authority that require the detection of a 7% effect size change in bee colony sizes under field conditions. Based on a power analysis, we argue that the necessary levels of replication (68 replicates) may pose practical constraints to field testing. Policy implications. Regulatory studies benefit from data sources collated over a range of spatial scales, from laboratory to landscapes. Basing effect size thresholds solely on expert judgement, as has been done, may be inappropriate.... (More)
Honeybees have world-wide importance as crop pollinators. To ensure their persistence in agricultural systems, statistically robust field trials of plant protection products are vital. We consider the implications of regulations from the European Food Safety Authority that require the detection of a 7% effect size change in bee colony sizes under field conditions. Based on a power analysis, we argue that the necessary levels of replication (68 replicates) may pose practical constraints to field testing. Policy implications. Regulatory studies benefit from data sources collated over a range of spatial scales, from laboratory to landscapes. Basing effect size thresholds solely on expert judgement, as has been done, may be inappropriate. Rather, definition through experimental or simulation studies that assess the biological consequences of changes in colony size for bee populations is required. This has implications for regulatory bodies outside the European Union.
(Less)
- author
- Woodcock, Ben A.
; Heard, Matthew S.
; Jitlal, Mark S.
; Rundlöf, Maj
LU
; Bullock, James M.
; Shore, Richard F.
and Pywell, Richard F.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2016-10-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- agriculture, bumblebees, experimental design, honeybees, neonicotinoids, pesticides, pollinators, regulatory risk assessment, statistical power testing
- in
- Journal of Applied Ecology
- volume
- 53
- issue
- 5
- pages
- 5 pages
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000387773000007
- scopus:84987748115
- ISSN
- 0021-8901
- DOI
- 10.1111/1365-2664.12676
- project
- DEveloping Landscape Ecotoxicology in Terrestrial Ecosystems (DELETE): Pesticide Exposure and Effects on Bees
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 6c2a40fe-b198-4960-bb47-a03e2589f9a8
- date added to LUP
- 2016-10-17 12:02:35
- date last changed
- 2025-01-12 13:22:41
@article{6c2a40fe-b198-4960-bb47-a03e2589f9a8,
abstract = {{<p>Honeybees have world-wide importance as crop pollinators. To ensure their persistence in agricultural systems, statistically robust field trials of plant protection products are vital. We consider the implications of regulations from the European Food Safety Authority that require the detection of a 7% effect size change in bee colony sizes under field conditions. Based on a power analysis, we argue that the necessary levels of replication (68 replicates) may pose practical constraints to field testing. Policy implications. Regulatory studies benefit from data sources collated over a range of spatial scales, from laboratory to landscapes. Basing effect size thresholds solely on expert judgement, as has been done, may be inappropriate. Rather, definition through experimental or simulation studies that assess the biological consequences of changes in colony size for bee populations is required. This has implications for regulatory bodies outside the European Union.</p>}},
author = {{Woodcock, Ben A. and Heard, Matthew S. and Jitlal, Mark S. and Rundlöf, Maj and Bullock, James M. and Shore, Richard F. and Pywell, Richard F.}},
issn = {{0021-8901}},
keywords = {{agriculture; bumblebees; experimental design; honeybees; neonicotinoids; pesticides; pollinators; regulatory risk assessment; statistical power testing}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
number = {{5}},
pages = {{1358--1362}},
publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
series = {{Journal of Applied Ecology}},
title = {{Replication, effect sizes and identifying the biological impacts of pesticides on bees under field conditions}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12676}},
doi = {{10.1111/1365-2664.12676}},
volume = {{53}},
year = {{2016}},
}