How do bioengineered species affect the environment?

Answer 1

Usually, they promote greater diversity. It depends on how they were engineered, however. This question cannot be answered in and of itself. An example of a bioengineered species would be needed to answer the question. If the question is about the global environment, it generally tends to promote a population of that species, since they are usually engineered to be favorable for their conditions. However, since bioengineered speicies are mostly used in farms, etc., they have little affect on the surrounding environments. This question also seems to stem from the basic concept that bioengineering, as well as all artificial chemicals, harm the environment and are unhealthy, which is not a strongly backed scientific argument - sugar is sugar, no matter where it is grown. Morally, it may be true, but scientifically, there is not much evidence. * Though the above answer states that bioengineered species promote greater diversity, just the opposite is true. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) contaminate other species and can render those species useless. This is especially true for organic growers who have to take great care not to plant their crops close to bioengineered crops. Some speculate that if enough contamination occurs, which is not out of the question, a day could come when only GMO species will be available and grown. One report states that non-GMO corn in Mexico was contaminated from GMO corn planted 60 miles away. (see link "Mexico Corn Contamination." For ways to protect crops from contamination, visit the link, "10 Strategies to Minimize Risks." While the above answer is theoretically correct that "sugar is sugar," there is one major difference in GMO and non-GMO species. That is, the GMOs have genes that have been artificially spliced with genes from another species (corn with bacteria, potatoes with some other species, etc). The goal of some of this is to make the crop more resistent to pests so that less chemicals have to be used in raising them. It sounds good, but think about it. For decades we have been told to wash produce very carefully to get the poison chemicals off before eating it. Now, something within the crop itself is serving the same function as the chemicals were that we washed off. Could this possibly be good for our health? Evidence is also being collected that serves to prove that GMO species are not in any way good for the enviroment. For reports, you can visit the link, "GM Contamination Register." There is also evidence that GMO species tend to take spread to non-GMO fields and become weeds. There is abundant information on the internet about this topic. I'm posting some links if you'd like to learn more. By the way, if you eat processed food that you buy in supermarkets and grocery stores, you are almost assured to be eating "genfoods" that have bioengineered ingredients in them. Correcting a few inaccuracies in the previous answer: "Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) contaminate other species and can render those species useless." That's biologically impossible. The genes from the GMOs don't "infect" the other plants. The only way for these genes to get into other plants is through sexual reproduction. And it is impossible for sexual reproduction to occur between individuals of different species. "For decades we have been told to wash produce very carefully to get the poison chemicals off before eating it." This is not correct. The reason we are told to wash produce it to get the BACTERIA off of it. E-coli, for example, is far more deadly than these so-called "poison chemicals". Also, only field crops are genetcially modified for insect resistance. No "produce" (i.e., vegetables, fruits) are modified in this manner. The gene comes from the Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt) bacteria, and produces a toxin that is deadly to insects. It is NOT deadly, or even harmful, to humans. But that doesn't matter, because 1) the poison degrades rapidly into a non-toxic form, and 2) the plant STOPS creating the poision when it dies. By the time the crop is harvested, any trace of the poison is long gone.