Though people may be very wary to take another issue in our environment on their back, I think that it is important that we keep watching this trend and make sure that the rise in GM plants does not get overwhelmingly high. We don't think that these types of things will happen and it seems that they always end up doing so. While these plants may not be very well adapted to the environment, their adaptions are constantly changing and will eventually be able to hold their own in the wild environment, in contrary to the farm environment. I also find it interesting that the people who did this experiment were the first to realize this onslaught of GM canola plants, and not the environmentalists in the area.
Questions:
1) Do you think that this will become an issue if we do not keep tabs on the amount of GM canola plants throughout North Dakota?
2) Do you think there should be a mandatory check of amounts of wild GM plants?
3) Should farmers have to make sure that these types of "escapes" don't happen?
4) Do you think that scientists are undersizing the magnitude of this spread?
Title: Genetically Modified Canola 'Escapes' Farm Field
Author: Geoffrey Brumfiel
Date: 4/13/2011
Link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129010499
I believe what the scientists are saying is actually true. GM crops are used to getting pampered with fertilizers, care, and water so if they get into the wild they probably won't survive. Then again one plant may survive and then make even stronger plants will soon be able to survive in the wild and spread. The plant could become unkillable. I think these tests that they are doing are good but we can't do to many or else they will all start spreading and could make a superweed. This reminds me of paper we read in class about how the GM plants can spread and then die if they can't survive but one may survive and form new plants and will be able to survive the area and become stronger and more resistant to pesticides.
ReplyDeleteTo answer Quinn's fourth question I do believe that scientists are undersizing the magnitude of this spread. They are not thinking ahead. If they did they would realize that the GM plants may adapt to the wild's environment and be able to survive and produce more plants that can survive in the environment. It may soon cause a bigger problem then scientists have thought.
It seems to me that whatever scientists think won't happen, does happen. People should be aware of this and always keep in mind that anything is possible. This reminds me of that girl that loves to surf and got her arm bitten by a shark and they had to amputate it. Everyone thought that she was done surfing because she only had one arm, but she worked hard and practiced a lot, and now she surfs a lot with that one arm. You know what they say, "expect the unexpected." However, I also think that if these GM plants are able to sprout in the wild, then it is possible for them to sprout just about anywhere. Scientists should constantly be checking the most non-realistic places for GM plants.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Quinn's second question I do believe that there should be a mandatory check of amounts of wild GM plants. Just because the situation is small now does not mean that it won't turn into something big. If we don't check on it now, this could be as big as global warming. It takes a good scientist to focus on both big and small problems. It is always better to be safe than sorry.