GMO's - Environmental Complications
Uncontrolled Biological Pollution
Studies have shown that soil biology is negatively impacted when it’s used to grow GMO crops
Once this pollution gets in the soil it gets into the water; the increased use of herbicides is leaching through the soil into the groundwater supplies
The chemical glyphosate, the key ingredient in Round Up herbicide, is genetically engineered into and heavily sprayed onto all GMO crops
This could be causing fungal root disease resulting in detrimental impacts to the root structure of plants
GMO Canola is spreading via migratory birds, who eat the plants in one area and then fly and deliver modified seeds to the fields of another area
The Center for Food Safety states that the environmental impacts of GMOs will include an “uncontrolled biological pollution, threatening numerous microbial, plant and animal species with extinction, and a potential contamination of all non-genetically engineered life forms with novel and possibly hazardous genetic material.”
Unintended Harm to other Organisms
Contamination of Nearby Streams
A study in 2007 showed that GM corn's insecticidal toxins contaminated nearby streams, causing increased mortality and reduced growth of caddisflies (an aquatic insect related to the pests targeted by the toxin in GMO corn)
Since caddisflies are a food resource for fish and amphibians, contamination spreads further when these insects are consumed by its natural predators
Weedkiller-resisting Crops
Crops can be genetically modified to resist herbicides kill plants (weeds)
Insects such as monarch butterflies & bees suffer from this modification
The herbicide called Glyphosate is the key ingredient in Round Up
Monsanto’s (an agricultural biotechnology corporation) GMO crops are engineered to withstand this herbicide; this creates a problem for honeybees since they have been proven to create negative impacts for bees
Thus, this reduces the overall populations of bees and lowering biodiversity
Monarch butterflies can only lay eggs in one specific plant; milkweed. By modifying crops to kill weeds a shortage in milkweed can occur
This causes a major dilemma for these butterflies as they wont have a place to lay their eggs; even if they manage to lay their eggs somewhere the caterpillars won't be able to feed themselves; they only consume milkweed
Self-producing Insecticide Crops
Pollen from corn that is genetically modified to produce its own insecticide has caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars
Reduced Efficiency & Increased Use of Pesticides
Herbicides
Genetically modified canola, which is engineered to withstand Round Up, is now spreading as an uncontrollable, is now spreading as an uncontrollable invasive weed in California
Insects are becoming resistant to crops that have been genetically modified to produce their own insecticides
A study in 2013 found more than 1/3 of the 13 major pest species had become immune to GMO corn and cotton, and several others were in the process of developing resistance
In 2008 the USDA found higher damage rates & insect survival rates than a study they performed just two years prior. In 2011 increasing damage due to corn root worm evolution was being reported
