Methods for Risk Assessment of Transgenic Plants: I. Competition, Establishment and Ecosystem Effects

The present book is a compilation of current test methods useful in risk assessment of transgenic plants. It is intended to aid the environmental researcher in finding and comparing relevant methods quickly and easily. It may also be used as a general reference work for field-ecologists, laboratory- biologists and others working in plant population biology and genetics. The major processes affecting the fate of plants are covered with emphasis on invasion, competition and establishment, e.g., seed dispersal, density-dependent competition, and plant growth. Ecosystem effects and genetic structure are also covered. For each process a number of relevant test methods have been selected; in total, 84 methods for field, greenhouse or laboratory research are included, employing 51 key processwords. Each method is described and evaluated briefly and succinctly, and there are comments on assumptions, restrictions, advantages, and applications. An extensive bibliography provides entry into the scientific background, and cross references make it possible quickly to find all relevant sources. Methods to study pollination and gene transfer will be considered in a future volume.