Subj: essay on ecology and genetics available Date: 01-06-05 08:15:23 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] The 52-page "Ecology and Genetics: An Essay on the Nature of Life and the Problem of Genetic Engineering" is a great read. It advances a hypothesis that ecosystems influence genes (such as the color of tree bark leading to the genetically coded camouflage color of a moth), but also that a species' genes shape its ecosystem (like the genetically encoded propensity of plants to yield oxygen leading to an oxygen rich atmosphere affecting animal life). I found it to be an interesting and valuable extension of basic evolutionary biology reflecting a relationship between genes and the environment that has not been thoroughly examined in the popular media. Author Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research writes, "Ecosystems as such tend to be actively reproduced by the living beings in them." Hence, transgenetic manipulations of plants or animals will lead to those creatures altering the environment. The booklet describes, in comprehensible terms, concerns regarding the potential ecological impacts of genetic engineering and the inability of scientists erroneously making a "one-gene, one function" assumption to assess ecosystem effects. Friends of the Earth has obtained 250 copies of the booklet and is making them available at cost. If you are interested, please send a check written to "Friends of the Earth" for $8.95 per copy (includes shipping - add another $1.00 for international shipments). Mail the check to: Friends of the Earth c/o Lisette Singer 1025 Vermont Ave. NW Floor 3 Washington DC 20005 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the CONS-SPST-BIOTECH-FORUM list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] </XMP> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]