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Abstract: Marine Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) are animals and plants introduced accidently or deliberately into the European seas, originating from other seas of the globe. About 800 marine non-indigenous species (NIS) currently occur in the European Union national marine waters, several of which have negative impacts on marine ecosystem services and biodiversity. Under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) Descriptor 2 (D2), EU Member States (MSs) need to consider NIS in their marine management strategies. The Descriptor D2 includes one primary criterion (D2C1: new NIS introductions), and two secondary criteria (D2C2 and D2C3). The D2 implementation is characterized by a number of issues and uncertainties which can be applicable to the Descriptor level (e.g. geographical unit of assessment, assessment period, phytoplanktonic, parasitic, oligohaline NIS, etc.), to the primary criterion D2C1 level (e.g. threshold values, cryptogenic, questionable species, etc), and to the secondary criteria D2C2 and D2C3. The current report tackles these issues and provides practical recommendations aiming at a smoother and more efficient implementation of D2 and its criteria at EU level. They constitute a solid operational output which can result in more comparable D2 assessments among MSs and MSFD regions/subregions. When it comes to the policy-side, the current report calls for a number of different categories of NIS to be reported in D2 assessments, pointing the need for the species to be labelled/categorised appropriately in the MSFD reporting by the MSs. These suggestions are proposed to be communicated to the MSFD Working Group of Good Environmental Status (GES) and subsequently to the Marine Strategy Coordination Group (MSCG) of MSFD. Moreover, they can serve as an input for revising the Art. 8 Guidelines.
Published in DiRROS: 02.09.2024; Views: 1; Downloads: 1
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Abstract: The Workshop on ‘Establishing thresholds: workshop on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) Newly Introduced Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) (D2C1)’ took place online on the 24th November 2022, aiming at discussing and making progress towards establishing threshold values for the criterion D2C1. The workshop was organised by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), in collaboration with representatives of the Regional Sea Conventions (RSCs), under the MSFD Descriptor 2 Core Group, in the context of the MSFD Common Implementation Strategy Good Environmental Status Working Group. The participants to the workshop included academic and public authorities’ experts on MSFD NIS, RSCs representatives, the European Environment Agency (EEA), and Commission services. The workshop enabled sharing information on the state-of-the-art approaches on monitoring and assessment of D2C1 within Regional Seas and on the application of the time series analysis as a follow-up to Tsiamis et al. (2021) recommendations for setting threshold values. The discussion focused on ensuring comparability of approaches, how to account for uncertainties, and on areas for improvement. It was acknowledged that activities of RSCs are instrumental in coordinating the science and management of marine NIS. The various levels of monitoring across the North-East Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea and the EU Countries explain different methodological approaches for setting thresholds, while the limited monitoring restrict the application of these methodologies in the Black Sea. The workshop identified four main areas for improvements: i) establishment of acknowledged baselines for NIS introductions, ii) make further progress in monitoring and analysis methods, iii) agree on thresholds for new NIS introductions and, iv) ensure coherence and consistency between national and regional reports. The JRC will seek for opportunities to discuss and advance on identified areas for improvement with the MSFD national appointed NIS experts The MSFD Descriptor 2 (D2) Core Group will contribute to the discussions.
Keywords: Marine Strategy Framework Directive, MSFD, non-indigenous species, NIS, descriptor 2, marine biology, European Commission
Published in DiRROS: 02.09.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 1
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Abstract: The current EU legislation on GMOs and GM food and feed requires analytical testing to support traceability of these products on the market. The European Network of GMO Laboratories has reviewed the implications of the analytical requirements when they are applied to plant products developed with the use of new genomic techniques, i.e. targeted mutagenesis and cisgenesis. This review concluded that analytical testing to support traceability is not considered feasible for all products obtained by targeted mutagenesis and cisgenesis, both due to technical restrictions and because of implementation issues.
Keywords: new genomic techniques, detection in food and feed, targeted mutagenesis, cisgenesis
Published in DiRROS: 02.09.2024; Views: 1; Downloads: 2
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Abstract: DNA extraction is at the forefront of further analytical measurements on DNA targets and affects the downstream results. This report from the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL) provides guidance on the selection and use of fit-for-purpose DNA extraction methods. It focusses on DNA extraction in the context of official controls on the presence and content of genetically modified organisms in food and feed. It provides guidance on protocols and selection support systems, validation approaches, assessment of DNA quality parameters and examples of practical solutions derived from collective experiences. There are many variations on the theme of DNA extraction, but there is no single protocol that works adequately across all food and feed matrices. Before using a new method in the laboratory, or in case of modifications to a protocol, validation or verification is needed to show that a chosen method is fit for purpose for use in routine analysis. This guidance is aimed to help the DNA analysis laboratories in fulfilling the standardisation requirements and support their daily operations.
Keywords: DNA extraction, GMO, detection in food and feed
Published in DiRROS: 02.09.2024; Views: 2; Downloads: 3
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Abstract: Targeted high-throughput sequencing (HTS) has revolutionized the way we look at bacterial communities. It can be used for the species-specific detection of bacteria as well as for the determination of the microbiome and resistome and can be applied to samples from almost any environment. However, the results of targeted HTS can be influenced by many factors, which poses a major challenge for its use in clinical diagnostics. In this study, we investigated the impact of the DNA extraction method on the determination of the bacterial microbiome and resistome by targeted HTS using principles from metrology and diagnostics such as repeatability and analytical sensitivity. Sputum samples spiked with Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at three different concentrations (103–106 cells/mL) were used. DNA was extracted from each sample on 2 separate days in three replicates each using three different extraction methods based on cetrimonium bromide, magnetic beads, and silica membranes. All three spiked bacteria were detected in sputum, and the DNA extraction method had no significant effect on detection. However, the DNA extraction method had significant effects on the composition of the microbiome and the resistome. The sequencing results were repeatable in the majority of cases. The silica membrane-based DNA extraction kit provided the most repeatable results and the highest diversity of the microbiome and resistome. Targeted HTS has been shown to be a reliable tool for determining the microbiome and resistome; however, the method of DNA extraction should be carefully selected to minimize its impact on the results.
Keywords: targeted high-throughput sequencing, bacterial microbiome, resistome, bacteria detection, DNA extraction, metrology, diagnostics, repeatability
Published in DiRROS: 30.08.2024; Views: 72; Downloads: 38
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