Neonicotinoid Pesticides and Bees - The Food and Environment ...

3. Methodology adopted
The set of search terms selected and databases searched for the study are shown in
Appendix 1. All search results are fully documented in Appendix 1. The database was
searched for duplicates which were removed and the cleaned database transferred to
EndNote. The literature was evaluated systematically and the criteria for including or
excluding the references stated (see Appendix 1).
Any reports of studies that were identified as useful were evaluated to assess their reliability.
Reliability covers the inherent quality of the test relating to the test methodology and the way
the performance and results of the test are described. The criteria used for assessing
reliability of the identified literature were based on that identified in “Submission of scientific
peer-reviewed open literature for the approval of pesticide active substances under
Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009” which provides a definition of scientific peer-reviewed open
literature and instructions on how to minimise bias in the identification, selection and
inclusion of peer-reviewed open literature in dossiers, according to the principles of
systematic review (i.e. methodological rigour, transparency, reproducibility). For each
identified data source the reason for inclusion or exclusion is clearly stated in the main report
for those included and in Appendix 1 for those excluded.
The information from previous reports and the review of ‘new’ literature was combined to
provide an overview of the interactions between pesticides and other factors in effects on
bees considering:
Neonicotinoid pesticides and bees Page 13 of 133
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