5.10 How do Regulatory Requirements and Assumptions Correlate to Practical Experience in Residue Studies with Nectar and Pollen?

Residues of pesticides detected in pollen and nectar (bee relevant matrices) represent a realistic research approach to estimate pollinator exposure. Therefore, a robust and reliable method to sample and measure these residues is part of risk assessment schemes in several parts of the world. EFSA guidance for pollinators was the first risk assessment to allow for the refinements of the expected residue values during exposure. EPA as well as IBAMA followed suite and proposed in vivo refinements for residue values. To achieve this goal nectar and pollen from plant species have to be collected in sufficient amounts to allow for residue analysis. Several methods are available for the collection of bee matrices. We list general methods developed to sample pollen and nectar, focus on some common issues encountered during the conduct of these studies and place the measurements derived from these studies into a risk assessment context. With all the information available now it would be a useful task to compare residue levels in matrices collected manually and with the help of pollinators to give advice for guidance document refinements and help to approve the design of studies in the future.Residues of pesticides detected in pollen and nectar (bee relevant matrices) represent a realistic research approach to estimate pollinator exposure. Therefore, a robust and reliable method to sample and measure these residues is part of risk assessment schemes in several parts of the world. EFSA guidance for pollinators was the first risk assessment to allow for the refinements of the expected residue values during exposure. EPA as well as IBAMA followed suite and proposed in vivo refinements for residue values. To achieve this goal nectar and pollen from plant species have to be collected in sufficient amounts to allow for residue analysis. Several methods are available for the collection of bee matrices. We list general methods developed to sample pollen and nectar, focus on some common issues encountered during the conduct of these studies and place the measurements derived from these studies into a risk assessment context. With all the information available now it would be a useful task to compare residue levels in matrices collected manually and with the help of pollinators to give advice for guidance document refinements and help to approve the design of studies in the future

3.11 Bumble bee queen production in semi-field studies: assessment of endpoints and challenges

Bumble bees (Bombus terrestris L; Hymenoptera, Apidae) provide important pollination services and are commercially used, e.g. in greenhouse cultures. Consequently, the impacts of pesticides on bumble bees were already tested in the past. In the light of the newest EFSA guidance document on the risk assessment of plant protection products for pollinators standardized higher tier studies for pollinators are needed (EFSA 2013). For that reason a ringtest protocol for a bumble bee semi-field study design was developed in the ICPPR Non-Apis working group starting in 2015 to date.The central endpoint in a higher tier bumble bee study is the colony reproduction success (production of young queens, Cabrera et al. 2016). The endpoint is chosen because at the end of the annual life cycle of a bumble bee colony all workers die and only young queens overwinter. Queens that survive establish a new colony in the following year. However, assessing queen reproduction is challenging. Many variables can influence the number of produced queens, such as the right timing for the termination of the study or the condition of the colony at study start. Furthermore, young queen weights are measured. Weight is used as indicator of diapause survival. Literature values of average weight needed for survival before overwintering state 0.8 g for a young queen for successful overwintering (Beekman et al. 1998).Based on data from ring tests of 2016 and 2017 we tried to answer several open questions concerning queen reproduction, i.e. how can the experimental set-up influence queen weights and how high is the natural variation in queen numbers and queen weight/size?Bumble bees (Bombus terrestris L; Hymenoptera, Apidae) provide important pollination services and are commercially used, e.g. in greenhouse cultures. Consequently, the impacts of pesticides on bumble bees were already tested in the past. In the light of the newest EFSA guidance document on the risk assessment of plant protection products for pollinators standardized higher tier studies for pollinators are needed (EFSA 2013). For that reason a ringtest protocol for a bumble bee semi-field study design was developed in the ICPPR Non-Apis working group starting in 2015 to date.The central endpoint in a higher tier bumble bee study is the colony reproduction success (production of young queens, Cabrera et al. 2016). The endpoint is chosen because at the end of the annual life cycle of a bumble bee colony all workers die and only young queens overwinter. Queens that survive establish a new colony in the following year. However, assessing queen reproduction is challenging. Many variables can influence the number of produced queens, such as the right timing for the termination of the study or the condition of the colony at study start. Furthermore, young queen weights are measured. Weight is used as indicator of diapause survival. Literature values of average weight needed for survival before overwintering state 0.8 g for a young queen for successful overwintering (Beekman et al. 1998).Based on data from ring tests of 2016 and 2017 we tried to answer several open questions concerning queen reproduction, i.e. how can the experimental set-up influence queen weights and how high is the natural variation in queen numbers and queen weight/size

Erosion Rates of Wood During Natural Weathering. Part II. Earlywood and Latewood Erosion Rates

This is the second in a series of reports on the erosion rates of wood exposed outdoors near Madison, Wisconsin. In the work reported here, the erosion rates of earlywood and latewood were determined for smooth-planed vertical-grained lumber for an exposure period of 14 years. The specimens were oriented vertically, facing south; erosion was measured annually for the first 6 years and biannually the remainder of the exposure. Wood species were ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, western hemlock, and red alder. Large differences were observed between earlywood and latewood erosion rates during weathering. Erosion rates varied from 33 μm/year for lodgepole pine latewood to 58 μm/year for western hemlock and red alder earlywood. In general, no practical differences in erosion were observed for different orientations of the specimens on the test fence (vertical or horizontal longitudinal axis). Some specimens showed considerable decay after 10 years of exposure

3.10 Bumble bee semi-field studies: choice and management of colonies to reduce variability in assessment endpoints

The publication of the proposed EFSA risk assessment for pollinators resulted in an increasing demand for experiments with non-Apis pollinators (EFSA 2013). However, no official guideline for the standardized semifield trials exists so far. To overcome this lack of guidance, the development of semi-field study designs are under way. The methodology is concurrently be developed by an ICPPR working group (non-Apis working group).A major challenge in higher tier studies is the variability of the different endpoints. Hive development and particularly the production of young queens are very variable (Cabrera et al. 2016). With the current knowledge it seemed crucial to select appropriate colonies for the tests to reduce variability. The aim was to evaluate different strategies for the selection of bumble bee colonies and to improve the data quality with regard to the most important endpoints in bumble bee semi-field studies.The publication of the proposed EFSA risk assessment for pollinators resulted in an increasing demand for experiments with non-Apis pollinators (EFSA 2013). However, no official guideline for the standardized semifield trials exists so far. To overcome this lack of guidance, the development of semi-field study designs are under way. The methodology is concurrently be developed by an ICPPR working group (non-Apis working group).A major challenge in higher tier studies is the variability of the different endpoints. Hive development and particularly the production of young queens are very variable (Cabrera et al. 2016). With the current knowledge it seemed crucial to select appropriate colonies for the tests to reduce variability. The aim was to evaluate different strategies for the selection of bumble bee colonies and to improve the data quality with regard to the most important endpoints in bumble bee semi-field studies

4.1 Progress of working group Non-Apis testing

See summary of progress of the Non-Apis group on page 8 Thomas Steeger: Working Groups of the ICP-PR Bee Protection Group – Developments and ProgressSee summary of progress of the Non-Apis group on page 8 Thomas Steeger: Working Groups of the ICP-PR Bee Protection Group – Developments and Progres

The Promise of Behavioral Tracking Systems for Advancing Primate Animal Welfare

Recent years have witnessed major advances in the ability of computerized systems to track the positions of animals as they move through large and unconstrained environments. These systems have so far been a great boon in the fields of primatology, psychology, neuroscience, and biomedicine. Here, we discuss the promise of these technologies for animal welfare. Their potential benefits include identifying and reducing pain, suffering, and distress in captive populations, improving laboratory animal welfare within the context of the three Rs of animal research (reduction, refinement, and replacement), and applying our understanding of animal behavior to increase the “natural” behaviors in captive and wild populations facing human impact challenges. We note that these benefits are often incidental to the designed purpose of these tracking systems, a reflection of the fact that animal welfare is not inimical to research progress, but instead, that the aligned interests between basic research and welfare hold great promise for improvements to animal well-being

Viable Bioenergy Options

• Did you know that if you pay $2.00 a gallon for propane, you could afford to pay$426 per cord of wood or $378 per ton of wood pellets to get the same energy? You have access to this simple calculator to learn more. • If you know how much biomass you have access to (tons/year), you’ll learn what size electrical power generator you should get and what the economics would be. • Should you make wood pellets? • What is far better than those smoky outdoor wood burners? • How much money could you save if you switched your school to wood heat? • What’s the future of liquid fuels from biomass

Woody Biomass Utilization Update for Natural Resource Managers

Since WWII we have worked hard to stop forest fires. These efforts have resulted in more extreme fires today because of all the available ladder fuels. Thinning can reduce or even eliminate the catastrophic aspect of a fire but can the thinning’s pay their way out of the forest? Uses from water filters to wood/plastic composites will be discussed. Unfortunately energy is the least valuable use