artificial selection
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Artificial Selection. Exploring Biotechnology & GMOs. What is Artificial Selection?. What words come to mind when you think of Artificial Selection ?. What is Artificial Selection?. A process in which humans consciously select for or against particular features in organisms. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
What is Artificial Selection?
A process in which humans consciously select for or against particular features in organisms.
For example, humans may select only organisms with a desired feature to reproduce or provide more resources to the organisms with the desired feature.
This process causes evolutionary change in the organism and is similar to natural selection only with humans, not nature, doing the selecting.
Over the years, the plants with desirable characteristics are grown by man and their numbers increase. Meanwhile, plants without these characteristics are less likely to survive as they are not provided with the fertilizers and pesticides by man.
Eventually, the species of the plant will evolute.
What may be an example of this?
GMOs &Artificial Selection
GMOs: Genetically Modified Organisms
Crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques.
Biotechnology: Application of scientific and technical advances in life science to develop commercial products
How to create GMOs
GENETIC ENGINEERINGCreate plants with the exact desired trait very
rapidly and with great accuracy.
For example: plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that gene into a different plant. The new genetically-modified plant will gain drought tolerance as well.
Did you know?
Genes can be transferred from one plant to another and from non-plant organisms.
The best known example is the use of B.t. genes in corn and other crops.
B.t., or Bacillus thuringiensis, natural bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are transferred into corn self produce pesticides
Let’s engineer our own crop
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/engineer/transgen.html
How prevalent are GM crops?
Thirteen countries grew genetically-engineered crops commercially in over a decade, the U.S. produced the majority.
68% of all GM crops were grown by U.S. farmers. In comparison, Argentina (23%), Canada (7%) and China produced (1%).
Other countries that grew commercial GM crops: Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, Spain, and Uruguay.
How prevalent are GM crops?
40 plant varieties commercialized by the government including: tomatoes, cantalopes, soybeans
Not all these products are available in supermarkets yet the prevalence of GM foods in U.S. grocery stores is more widespread
Highly processed foods and its ingredients mixed with genetically modified ingredients
What are some advantages of GM
Foods?Pest resistance/Herbicide tolerance/ Disease
resistance
Cold tolerance/Drought tolerance/salinity tolerance
Reduced Maturation time
Nutrition
Pharmaceuticals
Phytoremediation
What are some criticisms against GM
foods?Environmental hazards
Unintended harm to other organisms
Reduced effectiveness of pesticides
Gene transfer to non target species
Human health risks
Allergenicity
Unknown effects on human health
Economic concerns
What’s your stance?
Selective breeding of agricultural crops can benefit populations in less-developed countries by producing hardier crops, increasing food supplies, and improving the nutritional content of food. However, opponents of artificial selection technology believe that it affects the natural ability of a species to reproduce, which negatively affects biodiversity.
What’s your stance
Brainstorm with your group key points for your argument Support your points with facts and examples
Try this: Vote Online - Should we grow GM crops?
Debate next class!