Gösta Kjellsson Knihy

This work continues the research initiated in Autumn 1991, leading to a 1994 publication on risk assessment methods for transgenic plants. The authors recognized early on that assessing the physical establishment of transgenic plants outside cultivated areas was crucial, but the potential for gene transfer to other plants also needed consideration. Consequently, a second volume was developed to address test methods related to pollination, gene transfer, and population impacts. The primary audience includes scientists, students in plant population genetics, risk assessment professionals, and administrators involved in transgenic plant legislation. To encompass the wide range of topics, experts from Denmark and Switzerland contributed their knowledge, resulting in a collaborative effort. A list of contributors and their addresses is included in the book. Financial support for this project came from various organizations, including the National Environmental Research Institute in Denmark, the Federal Office of Environment, Forest and Landscape in Switzerland, the National Forest and Nature Agency in Denmark, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, and the European Commission, DC XI.

There is an urgent need for guidelines to monitor genetically modified higher plants (GMHP), as biotech crops are now widely cultivated in North America and are expected to enter the European market soon. Effective monitoring and surveillance programs must be established to detect any negative environmental effects when these crops are released, aligning with the European Commission's intentions to integrate monitoring into biotechnology regulations. Unlike traditional environmental monitoring that focuses on chemical pollutants, monitoring biological systems emphasizes organism survival and interactions, which presents significant challenges due to the complexity of these interactions and the variability in responses. Issues related to spatial and temporal parameter variation complicate monitoring efforts, but the use of "baselines" may offer some solutions. The book addresses these challenges and aims to provide practical solutions for GMHP monitoring. Initiated in 1998, this project follows two earlier publications that compiled current test methods for the risk assessment of GMHP, contributing to the ongoing discourse on effective monitoring strategies.