Feeding a Growing Population vs Conserving Biodiversity

Every time I step inside a grocery store, the question that I always wondered was where did this food come from? The obvious answer that I would receive is from farms or factories. These places have been providing the community with different food resources. Though this is true, with our growing population it seems hard for the agricultural industry to keep up.

Productive livestock and crops could be seen to some people as the "best of the best" but if you rely on a few highly productive livestock and crop varieties there would be a lesser chance of genetic diversity. To reduce the genetic diversity of less productive breeds to become extinct could pose problems to the health of the breeds. The obvious benefit of highly productive breeds is that we would be able to distribute more food products. We are clear of these benefits but that doesn't mean we should reduce genetic diversity.

Although highly productive breeds may produce numerous amounts of crops, there still might cause some problems. Biodiversity allows species to mate with other species allowing the transfer of genetics. Imagine if the highly productive livestock and crop varieties carried a recessive gene for a type of disease and the less productive breeds carried the gene that reduces the risk of getting that disease. If the genetic diversity of the less productive breeds were to become extinct the highly productive breeds are sure to suffer.

"Maintaining genetic diversity within species is important for maintaining yield stability and crop ability to adapt to ever-changing environmental challenges and diseases." (1)

This topic is relatable to sustainable agriculture and industrial agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is a way of farming that tries to create products that is healthy for everyone.Some farmers stay away from things like pesticides, biotechnology, and mechanization. Instead they use different manners, for example like growing products organically. Industrial agriculture is the term used to describe factory-made livestock and crops. Most food products now-a-days are made by using industrial agriculture. This type of agriculture has made food plentiful and cheap but has caused problems to the community like erosion, deforestation and contamination.

Industrial Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture

It is clear what our choices are:

• several food products for a cheaper price but leaving us with the consequences that deal with the environment. OR
• buy products that are healthy and doesn't harm the earth but costs more in terms of prices

With the rapid increase of the global human population it seems hard for the agricultural industry to keep up. If they continue to use industrial agricultural they would be able to make food for the growing population but at what cost? There would be a loss of biodiversity and as discussed earlier it is hurting the environment. In my opinion, the benefits on a few highly productive breeds do not outweigh the risks of reducing genetic diversity. Most of us would agree that genetic diversity is healthy.

REFERENCES

1. Industrial Agriculture
2. Importance of Diversity
3. Sustainable Agriculture
4. Agriculture Today
5. Impotance of genetic Diversity in Livestock

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Designer Babies

The term designer babies is used in the media to describe babies whose genes are chosen rather than having genes that are created by chance. Scientists like to call this process IntroVitro Fertilization. It's a process that some parents have used to create babies with the wanted medical and cosmetic characteristics.

When having a baby it is possible for the child to suffer from a genetic disorder. Some genetic disorders that could be passed on through genetics are Huntington's Chorea, Cystic Fibrosis, and Muscular Dystrophy. All of these possible disorders are either life long or incurable. With the different risks of having a baby, it doesn't act as a surprise that there is a future in modifying or selecting children's genes for desirable characteristics.

The procedure that some parents have been using to protect their children from said risks is called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. In this process both parents are tested for a known genetic abnormality. After doing so the parents make sure the genes they choose to transplant will not pass on the disease they might have.

There is also the process of gene therapy. Although this has not been in use for a long time, the idea of being able to correct a disorder has had a major interest in people. The process of gene therapy is a procedure by which defective genes are replaced with normal genes to cure genetic disorders. Since the techniques in use are some what new, the risks are unpredictable. Even if

that is true scientists are working and researching ways to make gene therapy a safe practice.

Whether it be good or bad, I feel like these practices should be researched more. Gene therapy and PGD are not meant to harm people. It should be researched further because it could potentially better the chances of giving a child a life without the struggles of a genetic disorder. For example a four year old girl had inherited a disorder that affected her immune system that resulted in an enzyme deficiency. She was given a genetically modified virus which caused the cells to begin producing the required enzyme which ultimately saved her life.

It's clear to see that Designer babies has been on debate. Some people think it is a good thing and others think it a bad thing. The idea of designer babies and the benefits it could have gives people a reason for the research to continue.

Choosing the characteristics that you want your child to have is a choice entirely made by yourself. Designer babies, in my opinion gives me mixed feelings. From it came gene therapy which could help lessen the chances of a child getting a genetic disorder. Personally if it helps better the life of your child I feel that is an acceptable for making a designer baby. If you modify the genes of the child just to make the child look or think a certain way then that's when I believe using this practice is wrong.

REFERENCES

Ritter, Bob, Christine Adam-Carr, and Douglas Fraser.Biology 11. Toronto,ON: Nelson Thomson Learning, 2002. p.185. Print.

Gene Therapy-Health Canada

Designer Babies
What is Gene Therapy
PGD
Baby Picture
DNA Strand
Family

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Keeping the Biodiversity

The world and all it's inhabitants are very precious. As precious as our world may be, due to a few bad decisions the biodiversity of our ecosystems have suffered through negative consequences. There have been extinction of animals and destruction of habitats that were homes for many animals. Although this is true, human interaction with the environment does not always end up with negative consequences. There are organizations around the world whose main purpose is to positively affect the biodiversity.

The Defender's of Wildlife is an example of an organization that helps the environment. It's a non profit organization founded in 1947. They are dedicated in ensuring the safety of animals and plants in their natural habitats. Their programs focus on the high rate of extinction in animals and the loss of biodiversity and habitat destruction. As a result of their passion about wildlife conservation, they have been leading a project called the conservation of imperiled and endangered species. They protect animals which vary from marine life, land mammals, birds, and reptiles.

Along with there wildlife conservation projects, the Defenders of Wildlife also have a habitat conservation program. They promote land-use actions that secure the safety of habitats such as wetlands, deserts, forests and grasslands from development and deterioration.

One example of how the Defender's of Wildlife are helping to save biodiversity is how they are trying to help the cook inlet beluga whale. The cook inlet beluga whale is mainly found in the Arctic and the sub-Arctic. These whales live in one of the most fastest growing regions in Alaska. Due to the urbanization of the region, their habitats are threatened by pollution and by the planned develpoment projects. The oil industry also poses a threat to the beluga population because of the toxic waste and the oil spills and leaks. To protect the belugas from these dangers, the organization had created a coalition. The four main parts of the coalition was to increase awareness among people, prevent them from being listed as endangered, determine data gaps through scientific research, and to prepare a campaign. On October.17, 2008 it was released that through a petition filed by a coalition of conservation groups, the whales were able to recieve protection from the Endangered Species Act.

That is just one of many accomplishments from the Defenders of Wildlife. Other projects that they are working on would include preventing and saving the environment from offshore drilling and climate change, and creating ideas for renewable energy. They also have a Biodiversity Partnership, which is concentrated obviously on conserving biodiversity.

There are countless organizations that assist in creating a safe place for the wildlife and the natural habitats. Without these groups and our support who knows what would happen to the biodiversity in our world. As proven by the people in these organizations, human intervention in our environment doesn't always mean they will harm it. Human intervention could also mean they are trying to protect and save it.

REFERENCES

Don't Almost Give
Wildlife
Habitat
Imperiled and Endangered Species
Cook Inlet Beluga Whale
Defenders Logo
Beluga Picture
World Picture

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