Semi-field study

A semi-field study or semifield study is a type of scientific investigation which is intermediate between laboratory study and open field research. This may be in a large enclosure in a lab, mixing some of the greater space of a field with the greater control, difficulty of escape, ease of access, predictable environment, and lowered chance of accidental escape of the lab; or an enclosure in a field, combining the realistic biotic and abiotic features of the field environment with some of the difficulty of escape of the lab setting.<ref name="Amano-Haseeb-2001">Amano, Hiroshi; Haseeb, Muhammad (2001). "Rencently-proposed methods and concepts of testing the effects of pesticides on the beneficial mite and insect species: Study limitations and implications in IPM". Applied Entomology and Zoology. Japanese Society of Applied Entomology & Zoology. 36 (1): 1–11. Bibcode:2001AppEZ..36....1A. doi:10.1303/aez.2001.1. ISSN 0003-6862. S2CID 83484683.</ref><ref name="Macfadyen-Banks-2014">Macfadyen, S.; Banks, J.E.; Stark, J.D.; Davies, A.P. (2014). "Using Semifield Studies to Examine the Effects of Pesticides on Mobile Terrestrial Invertebrates". Annual Review of Entomology. Annual Reviews. 59 (1): 383–404. doi:10.1146/annurev-ento-011613-162109. ISSN 0066-4170. PMID 24160417. S2CID 20315954.</ref>

Regulation

Semi-field studies are sometimes encouraged - directly and indirectly - by legislation which prohibits non-target effects of pesticides. For example, although arthropods are common legitimate targets, honey bees are widely agreed to be beneficial to humans and often protected.<ref name="Schaeffer-et-al-2010">Schäffer, Andreas; van den Brink, Paul J.; Heimbach, Fred; Hoy, Simon P., eds. (2010-08-03). Semi-Field Methods for the Environmental Risk Assessment of Pesticides in Soil. CRC Press. pp. xxxviii+144. doi:10.1201/9781439828595. ISBN 978-0-429-10381-0. p. 24.</ref>

Further reading

• Travis A. Grout; Phoebe A. Koenig; Julie K. Kapuvari; Scott H. McArt (June 23, 2020). Neonicotinoid Insecticides in New York State: economic benefits and risk to pollinators. Cornell University.