Establishment and proliferation potential of cyanobacteria; properties that can inform the risk assessment
COGEM is often asked to assess whether GM cyanobacteria could pose a risk when they would be introduced into the environment, for instance in case of a leakage. An important question in this assessment is whether the GM cyanobacteria are able to establish, and might proliferate and form algal blooms. COGEM commissioned a research project to gain more insight in the characteristics that are important for the establishment, proliferation and bloom potential of cyanobacteria, and the (experimental) approaches that could be used to obtain information on the ability of a GM cyanobacteria to establish, proliferate and form blooms.
The report, which was written by Perseus BV, contains a wealth of information about the characteristics that play a role in dispersal, establishment and bloom formation of cyanobacteria, and the tests and assays that could provide information on the establishment, proliferation and bloom potential of GM cyanobacteria.
The report is accompanied by two supplementary documents: an overview of the cyanobacteria that occur in the Netherlands, and the strains that have been genetically modified. These can be downloaded by clicking on the corresponding link.
