GM means genetically modified, i.e., genetically engineered.
Tom
---------------------
---------------------
Subj: NEW FEARS OVER IMPACT OF GM CROPS ON BIRD POPULATIONS
Date: 00-09-01 08:42:28 EDT
From: [log in to unmask] (Laurel Hopwood)
Sender: [log in to unmask] (Biotech Forum)
Reply-to: [log in to unmask] (Biotech Forum)
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FOE.PRESS.RELEASE: NEW FEARS OVER IMPACT OF GM CROPS ON BIRD
POPULATIONS
NEW FEARS OVER IMPACT OF GM CROPS ON BIRD POPULATIONS
New research from the University of East Anglia on the potentially
negative effect of GM crops on bird populations is published in
Science magazine tomorrow (Friday). Adrian Bebb, GM campaigner at
Friends of the Earth comments:
"We have argued since the beginning of the GM debate that
introducing pesticide and herbicide resistant crops into the UK
countryside may have disastrous environmental effects. This new
research provides shocking evidence of what could happen to our
farmland bird populations, already in sharp decline because of
chemical-heavy intensive farming. By contrast recent research on
organic farms showed an increase in skylark numbers.
The UEA research also reveals once again the farcical nature of
the Government's so called GM "trials programme". The research
suggests that the trials will fail to pick up any of the
environmental effects identified in this study. Since these are
fundamental to the environmental case against GM crops, what on
earth is the point of the trials? The time has come for the
Government to finally call a freeze on GM crops until their safety
can be guaranteed. And instead of wasting tax-payers money on
dead-end GM research the Government should be investing in farm
systems that grow sufficient high-quality food on
wildlife-friendly land."
Predictions of Biodiversity Response to Genetically Modified
Herbicide-Tolerant Crops
A. R. Watkinson,1* R. P. Freckleton,1 R. A. Robinson,2 W. J. Sutherland1
We simulated the effects of the introduction of genetically modified
herbicide-tolerant (GMHT) crops on weed
populations and the consequences for seed-eating birds. We predict that
weed populations might be reduced to low
levels or practically eradicated, depending on the exact form of
management. Consequent effects on the local use of
fields by birds might be severe, because such reductions represent a major
loss of food resources. The regional impacts
of GMHT crops are shown to depend on whether the adoption of GMHT crops by
farmers covaries with current weed
levels.
1 Schools of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of East
Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
2 British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU,
UK.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
[log in to unmask]
Related article in SCIENCE:
AGRICULTURE:
Genetically Modified Crops and Farmland Biodiversity.
Les G. Firbank and Frank Forcella
Science 2000 289: 1481-1482. (in Perspectives) [Summary] [Full Text]
Volume 289, Number 5484, Issue of 1 Sep 2000, pp. 1554-1557.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT
to [log in to unmask]
</XMP>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]