Loss of biodiversity is currently regarded as one of the most serious problems environmentally. Regions that are poor in biodiversity, either naturally or because of human interference have the least stability and are most susceptible to damage through both natural and human stresses. Introduction of genetically engineered crops to the mainstream could potentially serve to exacerbate this problem.

A region is said to be biodiverse when multiple organisms occupy similar niches within the ecosystem. Biodiverse ecosystems are more stable because if there is significant damage to one class of organisms there is a much higher possibility that a similar organism will be able to fill the niche. In an ecosystem lacking biodiversity there is the potential that a single event could decimate the entire region.

Genetic engineering of food crops has the potential to affect the biodiversity of a region in essentially two ways. First, wild populations may be displaced by transgene varieties of crops. This encompasses the possibility that genetically engineered food crops may become weeds in the surrounding environment. Since these crops are bioengineered to be resistant to pesticides and herbicides there is the possibility that they could invade wild grasslands and other places and thrive because of these special characteristics. If this happened, the native grasses would be unable to compete and biodiversity would be lost in these regions. Also many genetically engineered crops contain viral markers, there is the potential that these pieces could combine to form new, dangerous strains of viruses that could decimate specific varieties of crops. Although, to date, there is no direct evidence of these occurring naturally, they present scenarios that should not be overlooked when testing of transgene crops occurs.

The second way in which the biodiversity of a region may be affected by the introduction of genetically engineered foods is a problem already existing in agriculture. Today more and more acres of less and less crop varieties are being planted. This results in a loss of genetic diversity within crop cultures. As the figures in the box below show, genetic diversity among domestic crops has already decreased at an alarming rate.

Transgenetic crops stand to exacerbate this problem. One example of how genetically engineered crops will decrease crop diversity is that farmers will be forced to use patented seeds. Not only will they be at a financial disadvantage if traditional seed varieties are used, but in some countries, including the U.S., laws are currently in effect that will essentially eliminate the possibility of using non-patented seeds. This will limit the crops to a few monoculture strains, leaving them more susceptible to new pests or pestilences that may develop.

Loss of biodiversity can be just as dangerous in agriculture as in the wild. An example of this in agriculture can be seen in the potato famine in Ireland. The majority of the population relied on a single species of the potato plant for their nutrition. When a specific blight attacked that particular strain of potato there was no other food crop to fill the niche. Thousands died and many others had to leave their homeland because of the famine. This is an extreme example of how lack of crop diversity lead to widespread hunger for a population. It is also a scenario that ought to be kept in mind in an era when single strains of ‘super crops’ stand to replace hundreds of traditional varieties.

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