1. Systematic mapping to inform decision making
Nicola Randall Centre for Evidence Based Agriculture Harper Adams University

2. Types of evidence syntheses
Systematic reviews
Systematic maps
Rapid Evidence Assessments
Quick Scoping reviews
Defra
Extensive literature reviews
EFSA

3. Background
The effectiveness of integrated farm management, organic farming and agri-environment schemes as interventions for conserving biodiversity.

4. Background
Multiple interventions, exposures, populations and outcomes Different study designs Needed an alternative to Systematic Review

5. What is systematic mapping?
A structured method to describe the state of available research evidence for a topic or question
Describe the nature, coverage and possibly the ‘robustness’ of available research
Identify ‘knowledge gaps’
sub-topics under-represented by the literature that may benefit from primary research
Identify ‘knowledge clusters’
sub-topics that are well represented by the literature that may be suitable for further secondary synthesis

6. Systematic mapping
Follows objective, repeatable and transparent processes to search for, collate and catalogue published and unpublished literature relating to a topic or question. ‘critical appraisal’ of included studies may also be carried out.

7. Typical systematic map process
Protocol
Search for literature
Screen studies against inclusion criteria
‘Coding’ - Extract study meta-data and create map database
Critical appraisal (optional)
Describing and visualising the evidence base
Publish narrative report alongside map database
Typical systematic map process
The first stages (the first 3 boxes) in a systematic map are similar to those set out for systematic review ie. establishing the review team, engaging stakeholders. Development of the protocol includes setting the question or topic, developing search terms and search strategy (ie. which sources will be searched), carrying out a scoping study to test search terms and the amount of information that will be retrieved., developing inclusion criteria (ie. what a study must contain to be included), critical appraisal strategy and coding strategy (ie. what variables will be extracted from the studies).
However, following screening a database is populated with study meta-data - variables that describe the study’s setting and design.
The result is a searchable database of research studies that can be interrogated to provide an overview of the evidence base.

8. Uses for Systematic Maps

9. The Effectiveness of five different on-farm mitigations for delivering an improved water environment. Defra/NERC funded

10. Water quality
Broad Question – High policy relevance, but lots of data to examine
>146,000 references
>74,000 after duplicates removed
1359 sorted by title and abstract
718 contain evidence of farming interventions
495 full text
410 full text and no confounding factors

14. Bo Söderström, Katarina Hedlund, Louise E Jackson, Thomas Kätterer, Emanuele Lugato, Ingrid K Thomsen and Helene Bracht Jørgensen. What are the effects of agricultural management on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks? Environmental Evidence 2014,3:2

15. Bo Söderström, Katarina Hedlund, Louise E Jackson, Thomas Kätterer, Emanuele Lugato, Ingrid K Thomsen and Helene Bracht Jørgensen. What are the effects of agricultural management on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks? Environmental Evidence 2014,3:2

16. Types of output Searchable database Scientific publications
Website – systematic review library
Guidance notes
Technical press
Where else?

17. Uses - Inform policy 90 page full report converted to: Policy brief
Highlight the findings rather than the methods used
Provide implications for policy, recommendations for future research, and for future research syntheses

18. Uses - Inform primary research
Buffer strips to deliver multifunctional benefits on farmland
pollinators water protection pest control

19. Uses - Inform further synthesis
Overview of reviews
A systematic map,
Traditional, more focussed, systematic review of effectiveness.
Ruth Stewart, Laurenz Langer, Natalie Rebelo Da Silva, Evans Muchiri, Hazel Zaranyika, Yvonne Erasmus, Nicola Randall, Shannon Rafferty, Marcel Korth, Nolizwe Madinga, Thea de Wet (2015) The Effects of Training, Innovation and New Technology on African Smallholder Farmers’ Wealth and Food Security: A Systematic Review The Campbell Library - International Development Group 11 (16) 

20. Where next? Common methodological advice
Consideration of breadth and inclusion
e.g. Impacts of Neonicotinoids

21. References
Katy L. James, Nicola P. Randall and Neal R. Haddaway. A methodology for systematic mapping in environmental sciences. Environmental Evidence :7
Nicola P Randall, Louise M Donnison, Paul J Lewis and Katy L James. How effective are on-farm mitigation measures for delivering an improved water environment? A systematic map. Environmental Evidence :18
Ruth Stewart, Laurenz Langer, Natalie Rebelo Da Silva, Evans Muchiri, Hazel Zaranyika, Yvonne Erasmus, Nicola Randall, Shannon Rafferty, Marcel Korth, Nolizwe Madinga, Thea de Wet (2015) The Effects of Training, Innovation and New Technology on African Smallholder Farmers’ Wealth and Food Security: A Systematic Review The Campbell Library - International Development Group 11 (16)