Post-release monitoring and long-term effects of LMOs released into the environment

Dear Colleagues,
In respect to the ongoing discussion my opinion on the spatial aspects of LMO monitoring is that it should take place in exposed areas, preferably cultivated fields plus their environment. The number of monitoring sites and regions needs to be sufficient to support statistical analysis of results based on good scientific practice. For every LMO the monitoring design and data analyses could (and maybe should) be based on a specific scale, quality and quan-tity of data to be representative and interpretable. This requires flexibility with the monitoring design. Monitoring every LMO everywhere is neither necessary nor feasible. If the sites and regions are adequately distributed an intelligent systematic monitoring design can be repre-sentative for large areas. Criteria for selecting monitoring sites and regions may include
a) representativeness of sites intensively cultivated with LMOs,
b) representativeness of ecological regions containing the spectrum of selected potentially adversely affected indicators,
c) availability of sites already monitored within cultivated other agro-environmental pro-grammes
d) areas with favourable environmental conditions facilitating spread or survival of GMOs
This requires availability of thematic geografic data containing this information like ecoregion maps, land cover data, agricultural census data and the good knowledge of the LMO-cultivated fields.
The spatial selection of monitoring sites can also include the aspect cumulative and/or long-term effects (sites which remain repeatedly cultivated over years).