Learning from farmer-led access and benefit sharing. Conclusions.

This special issue of Farming Matters magazine has explored the ways in which access and benefit sharing of plant genetic resources can work for family farmers. On one hand it presents cases that demonstrate the limited extent to which family farmers have been able to benefit from the ‘formal’ ABS process: the rather complex arrangements between international agreements and national authorities, institutions and communities. On the other hand, this publication uncovers some of the effective principles and mechanisms for access and benefit sharing that are part and parcel of farmers’ everyday practices, even when formal ABS regulations have not yet been designed or implemented

Bee poisoning incidents in Germany in spring 2008 caused by abrasion of active substance from treated seeds during sowing of maize

contribution to session V Honey bee poisoning incidents and monitoring schemes In spring 2008 a high number of bee poisoning incidents was recorded during sowing of maize in the Upper Rhine valley and in South Bavaria near Passau. More than 11.500 honey bee colonies from about 700 beekeepers in the Upper Rhine valley showed symptoms of insecticide poisoning. The reason for the poisoning was the abrasion of dust from maize seeds treated with the insecticide Poncho Pro (a.s. clothianidin) during the sowing process and blowing out of this dust containing the active substance into the environment with pneumatic sowing machines, resulting in contamination of nectar and pollen. The poisonings occurred in areas in southern Germany in which an eradication program for the quarantine pest Diabrotica virgifera virgifera was active and where clothianidin was used at a high rate (125 g a.s. /ha) on a large scale. An exceptionally high amount of dust of up to 80 g per 100.000 kernels of maize was detected in some of the maize seed batches. The chemical analysis of dust, plant samples, bee samples, fresh pollen and bee bread confirmed the poisoning by clothianidin originating from treated maize seeds. No correlation with any bee pathogens was detected. Keywords: seed treatment, drilling machines, neonicotinoid, clothianidin, dust, maize, drift, bee poisoning, honey bee

Experimental validation of an electronic counting device to determine flight activity of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Ein Funktionsprototyp des Bienenzählers BeeCheck sollte in dieser Arbeit auf seine Genauigkeit hin überprüft werden, um seine Tauglichkeit für den wissenschaft­lichen Einsatz zu validieren. Hierzu wurden zwei unterschiedliche Ansätze verfolgt: (i) Vergleich der elektronischen Daten des Zählgerätes durch Videoaufnahmen von Ein- und Ausflügen mit manueller Auswertung durch einen Beobachter sowie (ii) die Validierung mittels „Räubertest“ im bienendichten Zelt. Die Ergebnisse zeigten eine zu erwartende Temperatur Abhängigkeit der Flug­aktivität sowie die Fehleranfälligkeit bei gewissen Aktivitäten am Flugloch. So waren unterschiedliche Geschwindigkeiten, sich entgegenkommende oder im Flugloch verharrende Bienen, sowie sich vor- und rückwärts bewegende Bienen eine Herausforderung für den Algorithmus, der aus den gemessenen Sensordaten die Bienentransaktionen ableitet. Um diese Grenzfälle zu minimieren und die Zählgenauigkeit zu erhöhen, ist es notwendig den Algorithmus entsprechend korrektiv anzupassen. Dies soll im Folgeprojekt „Etablierung digitaler Indikatoren der Bienenvitalität in Agrarlandschaften – V-I-Bee“ angegangen werden.In this work, a functional prototype of the BeeCheck counting device was evaluated for its accuracy to validate its suitability for scientific purposes. Two different approaches were applied: (i) we manually compared electronic data of the counting device by video recordings of entry and exit events, and (ii) by using the so-called “robber’s test” in a tunnel tent. The results showed an expected temperature dependency of the general flight activity. Difficulties occurred with certain activities at the hive entrance. The various running speeds of individuals, approaching or stuck bees, and bees moving back and forth in the tube were a challenge for sensor technology and the mathematical algorithm. To minimize such mistakes and to increase the counting accuracy, it is necessary to correct the algorithm accordingly. This will be addressed in the “V-I-Bee” follow-up project and future perspectives of using an improved counting device are discussed

The question regarding theodicy in Job as a challenge in regard to the borders between society and wilderness

The question regarding theodicy in Job as a challenge in regard to the borders between society and wilderness This article focuses on the fi rst divine speech in Job (38-39:33). In this regard the fi rst divine speech serves as polemics against the ruling Zeitgeist in post-exilic Israel. A message of hope, that urges Israel to focus her attention on the one sovereign God sprouts forth from it, morphing the fi rst divine speech into a radical message of cultic and religious encouragement. The animals listed in Job 38-39:33 show similarities when their habitat is taken into account. Habitat outside of society and death as a conceptual location is linked to each other in various ways. The article attempts to show that concepts such as being clean or unclean is created through cultural processes of thought that links being clean with cosmic order and the presence of God. Cultic cleanness is linked with ‘society’. The antitheses of ‘society’ is ‘wilderness’. In Job 38-41 God cares for animals that live in the ‘wilderness’. The negative associations that Israel have towards ‘wilderness’ now stands in direct contrast towards God’s love and care. In this regard Israel’s perception of true cleanness and uncleanness is placed in the spotlight. Clean, unclean and right and wrong seems to be redefi ned and God claims authority over it all. Suff ering, deserved or not and our negative feelings towards suff ering is redefi ned, seeing that what we once thought was wrong and had negative feelings towards, just like uncleanness, now seems to be a part of the one sovereign God.In hierdie artikel word die Godsredes in Job 38-39:33 bespreek. Hoofstuk 38-39:33 dien as polemiek teen die heersende Zeitgeist in ’n na-ballingskapse Israel. Hierdie polemiek dien as ’n boodskap van hoop en rig Israel tot aanbidding van God. Die boek Job neem moeilike teologiese en Ou-Testamentiese vraagstukke op, spesifiek met betrekking tot die teodisee en die vergeldingsdogma en weier om goedkoop en oppervlakkige antwoorde te aanvaar (Brueggemann, 2003:293). Alhoewel lyding ’n deurlopende tema in die boek Job is, handel die verhaal nie primêr oor lyding nie, maar oor die verstaan van God (Von Rad, 1972:221). Die aktualiteit van die verhaal van Job gaan gepaard met Job en Job se vriende se vrae en redenasies wat ’n simbool word van die geloofsgemeenskap se vrae rondom die aard van God, regverdigheid, lyding, vergeldingsleer en uiteindelik die relasie tussen God en mens.http://ngtt.journals.ac.za/hb201

Effectiveness of method improvements to reduce variability of brood termination rate in honey bee brood studies under semi-field conditions

Quantitative assessments of adverse effects of plant protection products on honey bee brood (Apis mellifera L.) may be carried out according to the methods given by the OECD Guidance Document No. 75 (2007). In recent years a number of studies displayed a strong variability in brood termination rates, a key endpoint. Due to these variances no definite conclusions regarding potential brood effects were possible, and the studies needed to be repeated. Due to this, attempts to improve the methodology were initiated by the Working Group ‘Honey bee brood' of the German AG Bienenschutz. In 2011, honey bee brood studies adapted to these identified possible improvements resulted in better results compared to historical data. Based on the analysed results, the working group recommends to improve the method by using bigger colonies with more brood, using 4 instead of 3 replicates for better interpretation of data, starting the study early in the season, avoiding major modifications of the colonies shortly before application and using larger tunnels with effective crop areas preferably > 80 m². To carry out quicker brood cell assessments to reduce stress for the colonies, it is recommended to use digital brood assessment, which allows marking a higher number of cells (e.g. 200 to 400 cells)

Dust in the Wind – Abdrift insektizidhaltiger Stäube – ein Risiko für Honigbienen (Apis mellifera L.)?

Dust in the wind - drift of dust containing insecticides - a risk for honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)?ZusammenfassungIm Zuge des Forschungsprogramms des Bundes und der Länder Bayern und Baden-Württemberg zur Bekämpfung des Westlichen Maiswurzelbohrers (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) fanden 2009 und 2010 großangelegte Versuche zur Staubabdrift während der Aussaat von Clothianidin-haltigem Winterraps- und Maissaatgut statt. Dabei wurden die Kontamination von benachbarten blühenden Bienenweidepflanzen und die Auswirkungen der Drift auf Einzelbienen und Bienenvölker untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass vor allem die Feldrandstrukturen bei Staubabdrift mit für Bienen hochtoxischen Wirkstoffen ein hohes Gefährdungspotential bieten. Weitere Erkenntnisse über die Wirkung der Staubexposition auf Bienenvölker in Abhängigkeit der Applikationsmenge an Staub (0,5 g a.i./ha und 2,0 g a.i./ha Clothianidin; a.i.= active ingredient) konnten aus zwei Halbfreilandversuchen mit gezielter manueller Applikation von praxisorientierten Mengen an Maisbeizstaub-Erd-Gemisch in Phacelia gewonnen werden. Trotz relativ geringem Totenfall konnte nach Applikation von 2 g a.i./ha ein sichtbarer Effekt auf die Mortalität und Populationsentwicklung der Bienenvölker festgestellt werden, während die niedrige Konzentration gegenüber der Kontrollvariante keine Abweichungen aufwies. Stichwörter: Honigbiene (Apis mellifera L.), Bienenvergiftung, Clothianidin, Beizstaub, Abdrift AbstractIn the course of the German Diabrotica research program funded by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer protection and the states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg large-scale drift trials were conducted during the sowing of winter oilseed rape and maize seeds treated with Clothianidin in 2009 and 2010. In the process the contamination of adjacent flowering bee forage plants and the impact of dust drift on individual bees and colonies were examined. The results show that primarily field edge structures are high risk areas for dust drift with highly toxic ingredients to bees. More data on the impact of exposure of dust on colonies depending on the application amount of dust (0.5 g a.i. / ha and 2.0 g a.i./ ha Clothianidin) were obtained from experimental approaches in tents with manual application of insecticide-loaded dust in Phacelia. Despite an overall low mortality, a visible effect on mortality of the colonies was detected for the higher concentration, whereas the low concentration compared with the untreated control showed no differences.Keywords: honeybee (Apis mellifera L.), bee poisoning, Clothianidin, abrasion dust, drif

Evidence for density dependent population regulation in southern elephant seals in the southern Indian Ocean

The means by which populations are regulated form a central theme in conservation biology, and much debate has revolved around density dependence as a mechanism driving population change. Marion Island (46o54'S, 37o45'E) is host to a relatively small breeding population of southern elephant seals, which like its counterparts in the southern Indian and southern Pacific Oceans, have declined precipitously over the past few decades. An intensive mark-recapture study, which commenced in 1983, has yielded a long time-series of resight data on this population. We used the program MARK to estimate adult female survival in this population from resight data collected over the period 1986-1999. Including concurrent population counts as covariates significantly improved our mark-recapture models and suggests density dependent population regulation to be operational in the population. Although predation may have been involved, it is far more likely that density dependent regulation has been based on a limited food supply. A significant increase in adult female survival was evident which is likely to have given rise to recent changes in population growth