Ch 7 Flashcards
how can biotechnology assist environmental conservation
monitoring endangered species
assessing gene pools for breeding programs
quarantine
how can biotechnology assist agriculture
increase nutrients in foods e.g. golden rice
increase gene resistance e.g. cotton against moth larvae
herbicide resistance e.g. ready crops
increase yield e.g. salmon growth rates or fruit size
how can biotechnology assist biodiversity conservation (stop inbreeding)
techniques like DNA profiling are used to isolate genetically diverse/favourable traits and allow them to maintain the size of the gene pool in small populations
e.g.) Numbat at Perth Zoo
what’s inbreeding depression
results in a risk of deleterious recessive alleles becoming homozygous, causing genetic diseases
Pros of GMO’s
crops have improved resistance to insects (less money spent on pesticides)
can improve health, nutritional value & quantity of crops & species etc., which can help combat global food crisis & benefit public health
there are strict guidelines that ensure GMO’s (food) are safe
cons of GMO’s
pests can evolve to be toxin resistant, and GMO’s become inefficient once more
GMO can be detrimental to non-target species e.g. the pollen from pest-resistant corn is said to be a threat to Monarch butterflies
herbicide-resistant crops encourage farmers to use more of this herbicide, which damage environments
gene transfer may occur between closely related species (weeds become herbicide resistant)
the long term effects of GMO’s are unknown
what is ‘old biotechnology’ compared to current biotechnology?
old biotechnology modifies living beings bu selectively breeding organisms while modern biotechnology directly modifies DNA and involves the transfer of genes across species
Is the structure/function of a genetically modified organism affected?
yes, genetic modifications are made to change an organisms yield, nutritional value or resistance to pesticides or herbicies
Is the effect of genetic modification on the organism temporary or permanent? If permanent, is the change heritable?
genetic modifications are permanent, and are hereditary if modifications are made to gamete cells however are not if made to somatic cells.
Is the health or survival of non-target species affected either directly or indirectly by GMO’s?
The use of some GM crops can have negative impacts on non-target organisms and on soil and water ecosystems. For example, the expansion of GM herbicide-tolerant corn and soy, which are twinned with herbicides, has destroyed much of the habitat of the monarch butterfly in North America.
Is there a change in the selective advantage of an organism as a result of its modification?
yes, the organism becomes more advantageous/ has more desirable traits
