Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Determining Ecoregions for Environmental and GMO Monitoring Networks

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A representative environmental monitoring network at the regional scale cannot use raster-based or random sampling designs, but requires a stratified sampling procedure integrating different information layers, and it has to occur in ecologically differing homogeneous regions (ecoregions). These we have determined using a set of spatial strata with ecological variables which we analysed with classification and regression trees (CART). We present a framework for environmental monitoring, that covers different scales, and we transfer the framework to a potential GMO (genetically modified organisms) monitoring network. We use ecoregion and other environmental strata together with existing environmental monitoring networks to determine GMO monitoring sites more precisely.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bailey, R. G.: 2002, Ecoregion-Based Design for Sustainability, Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bastian, O.: 2000, ‘Landscape classification in Saxony (Germany) –A tool for ecological planning on a regional level’, Landscape Urban Plann. 50, 145–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bossard, M., Feranec, J., Otahel, J. and Steenmans, C.: 2000, The Revised and Supplemented Corine Land Cover Nomenclature, European Environment Agency, Copenhagen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandt, J. J. E., Brunce, R. G. H., Howard, D. C. and Petit, S.: 2002, ‘General principles of monitoring land cover change based on two case studies in Britain and Denmark’, Landscape Urban Plann. 62, 37–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breiman, L., Friedman, J. H., Olshen, R. A. and Stone, C. J.: 1984, Classification and Regression Trees, Wadsworth and Brooks/Cole, Monterey, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavalieri, L. F.: 1991, ‘Scaling-up field testing of modified microorganisms’, BioScience 41(8), 568–574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers, J. M. and Hastie, T. J.: 1992, Statistical Models in SPlus, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Pacific Grove, California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cipra, J.: 2003, ‘A method for improving classification accuracy and acreage assessments in irrigated crops’, Photogr. Eng. Remote Sens. 69(1), 6–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coppedge, B. R., Engle, D. M., Fuhlendorf, S. D., Masters, R. E. and Gregory, M. S.: 2001, ‘Landscape cover type and pattern dynamics in fragmented southern Great Plains grasslands, USA’, Landscape Ecol. 16, 677–690.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dröschmeister, R.: 2001, ‘Bundesweites Naturschutzmonitoring in der “Normallandschaft” mit der Ökologischen Flächenstichprobe’, Natur und Landschaft 76(2), 58–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • EC: 2002, ‘Argumentaire on co-existence of gm crops with conventional and organic crops’, Retrieved from http://www.biotech-info.net/GMCrops.pdf.

  • Eiden, G., Kayadjanian, M. and Vidal, C.: 2002, ‘Quantifying Landscape Structures: spatial and temporal dimensions’. Retrieved from http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/publi/landscape/ch2.htm.

  • Firbank, L. G., Heard, M. S., Woiwod, I. P., Hawes, C., Haughton, A. J., Champion, G. T., Scott, R. J., Hill, M. O., Dewar, A. M., Squire, G. R., May, M. J., Brooks, D. R., Bohan, D. A., Daniels, R. E., Osborne, J. L., Roy, D. B., Black, H. I. J., Rothery, P. and Perry, J. N.: 2003, ‘An introduction to the farm-scale evaluations of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops’, J. Appl. Ecol. 40, 2–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, P., von Grebmer, K., Ehart, O., Wolfenbarger, L. L. and Phifer, P. R.: 2001, ‘Risk assessment data for GM crops’, Science 292, 638–639.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Legendre, P. and Legendre, L.: 1998, Numerical Ecology, 2nd English Ed., Elsevier Science B.V, Amsterdam.

  • Leigh, R. A. and Johnston, A. E.: 1994, ‘Long-Term Experiments in Agricultural and Ecological Sciences’, in: Proceedings of a Conference to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Rothamsted Experimental Station, 14–17 July 1993, CAB International, Wallingford.

  • Lim, T. S., Loh, W. Y. and Shih, Y. S.: 2000, ‘A Comparison of Prediction Accuracy, Complexity and Training Time of Thirty-Three Old and New Classification Algorithms’, in: Machine Learning 40, Kluwer Academic Press, Boston, pp. 203–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcinek, J. and Zaumseil, L.: 1993, ‘Brandenburg und Berlin im physisch-geographischen Überblick’, Geographische Rundschau 45(10), 556–563.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mertens, M., Nestler, I. and Huwe, B.: 2002, ‘GIS-based regionalization of soil profiles with Classification and Regression Trees (CART)’, J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci. 165, 39–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metzger, M., Bunce, B., Jongman, R. and Mücher, S.: 2003, ‘The environmental classification of Europe, a new tool for European Landscape ecologists,’ Landscape 20(5).

  • Meynen, E., Schmithüsen, J., Gellert, J., Neef, E., Müller-Miny, H. and Schultze, J. H.: 1959–1962, Handbuch der naturräumlichen Gliederung Deutschlands. Bundesanstalt für Landeskunde und Raumforschung, Selbstverlag, Bad Godesberg.

  • Morgan, J. N. and Sonquist, J. A.: 1963, ‘Problems in the analysis of survey data and a proposal’, Am. Stat. Assoc. J. 58, 415–434.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller-Dombois, D. and Ellenberg, H.: 1974, Aims and Methods of Vegetation Ecology, Wiley, New York, 547 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • New, M., Lister, D., Hulme, M. and Makin, I.: 2002, ‘A high-resolution data set of surface climate over global land areas’, Climate Res. 21, 1–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul, E. M., Thompson, C. and Dunwell, J. M.: 1995, ‘Gene dispersal from genetically modified oil seed rape in the field’, Euphytica 81, 283–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petit, S., Firbank, L., Wyatt, B. and Howard, D.: 2001, MIRABEL: ‘Models for integrated review and assessment of biodiversity in European landscapes’, Ambio 30(2), 81–88.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Piotrowski, J. A., Bartels, F., Salski, A. and Schmidt, G.: 1996, ‘Geostatistical regionalization of glacial aquitard thickness in northwestern Germany, based on fuzzy kriging’, Math. Geol. 28(4), 437–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Regal, P. J.: 1993, ‘The true meaning of “Exotic species” as a model for genetically engineered organisms’, Experientia 49, 225–234.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rieger, M. A., Lamond, M., Preston, C., Powles, S. B. and Roush, R. T.: 2002, ‘Pollen-mediated movement of herbicide resistance between commercial canola fields’, Sci. Mag. 296, 2386–2388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, G.: 2002, ‘Eine multivariat-statistisch abgeleitete ökologische Raumgliederung für Deutschland’, PhD thesis. Retrieved from http://www.dissertation.de/

  • Schröder, W. and Schmidt, G.: 2001, ‘Defining Ecoregions as Framework for the Assessment of Ecological Monitoring Networks in Germany by Means of GIS and Classification and Regression Trees (CART)’, in: Gate to Environmental and Health Sciences (EHS). Retrieved from http://www.scientificjournals.com/sj/ehs/

  • Sears, M. K., Hellmich, R. L., Stanley-Horn, D. E., Oberhauser, K. S., Pleasants, J. M., Mattila, H. R., Siegfried, B. D. and Dively, G. P.: 2001, ‘Impact of Bt corn pollen on monarch butterfly populations: A risk assessment’, PNAS 98(21), 11937–11942.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steenmans, C. and Pinborg, U.: 2002, ‘Anthropogenic fragmentation of potential semi-natural and natural areas’. Retrieved from http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/publi/landscape/ch5.htm

  • Stein, A. and Ettema, C.: 2003, ‘An overview of spatial sampling procedures and experimental design of spatial studies for ecosystem comparisons’, J. Agric. Ecos. Environ. 94(1), 31–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, D. and Colla, Ph.: 1995, CART. Tree-Structured Nonparametric Data Analysis, Salford Systems, San Diego, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tüxen, R.: 1978, ‘Die heutige potentiell natürliche Vegetation als Gegenstand der Vegetationskartierung’, in: W. Lauer, H.-J. Klink (eds), Pflanzengeographie–Darmstadt (Wege der Forschung 130), 323–354.

  • Underwood, A. J.: 1994, ‘On beyond BACI: Sampling designs that might reliably detect environmental Disturbances’, Ecol. Applic. 4(1), 3–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werner, A., Berger, G., Stachow, U. and Glemnitz, M.: 2000, ‘Abschätzung der Auswirkungen transgener Sorten auf Umweltqualitätsziele’, TA project report, BATS, Basel.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Graef.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Graef, F., Schmidt, G., SchrÖder, W. et al. Determining Ecoregions for Environmental and GMO Monitoring Networks. Environ Monit Assess 108, 189–203 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-005-3966-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-005-3966-5

Keywords

Navigation