Biodiversity and GMO Handout PDF

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig (PLP) Science Technology Society (STS) Handout A. Biodiversity and the Healthy Society Biodiversity- composed of different species of plants and animals and the places they live i...

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig (PLP) Science Technology Society (STS) Handout A. Biodiversity and the Healthy Society Biodiversity- composed of different species of plants and animals and the places they live in. Biodiversity describes the richness and variety of life on earth. It is the most complex and important feature of our planet. Without biodiversity, life would not be sustained. Types of Biodiversity: Genetic Biodiversity Species Biodiversity Ecological Biodiversity a. Species diversity Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area. It is biodiversity at the most basic level. It includes all the species ranging from plants to different microorganisms. No two individuals of the same species are exactly similar. For example, humans show a lot of diversity among themselves. b. Genetic diversity It refers to the variations among the genetic resources of organisms. Every individual of a particular species differs from each other in their genetic constitution. That is why every human looks different from each other. Similarly, there are different varieties in the same species of rice, wheat, maize, barley, etc. c. Ecological diversity An ecosystem is a collection of living and non-living organisms and their interaction with each other. Ecological biodiversity refers to the variations in the plant and animal species living together and connected by food chains and food webs. It is the diversity observed among the different ecosystems in a region. Impact of Biodiversity to Human Life: 1. Biodiversity provides clean air that we breathe. 2. Provides clean water to drink. 3. It limits the outbreak and spread of infectious diseases. 4. It arms with traditional and modern medicine that human needs. 5. It supplies a variety of foods. Threat to Biodiversity 1. Human population growth 2. Pollution and destruction in our environment 3. Destruction of habitat 4. Exploitation of animals and plants Signs of Environmental contamination: Many warning signs exist that a dangerous disequilibrium is being created in our ecosystems. Some research suspect that toxic chemicals by -products such as heavy metals, pesticides, hormones, pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants are responsible for an increased frequency in deformation of illnesses, death of natural populations worldwide. Examples: 1. Decline and deformation of frog populations worldwide. 2. Reproductive cycle disruption in birds 3. Deaths and population decline of birds and fish linked to contamination from oil spills. 4. Deaths and disorientation of marine mammals. 5. Contaminated waters. B. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO): Science, Health, and Politics GMO- is one whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering. This is commonly used in crops and medicine. Purposes: 1. To develop crops with drought tolerance, pests-resistant, and disease resistant traits. 2. To improve nutritional content. 3. For medical purposes. Three types of genetic modification: 1. Traditional crop modification – new varieties are developed either by selecting plants with desirable traits or by combining qualities from two closely related plants through selective breeding. 2. Genetic engineering- a method that enables scientists to copy a gene with desired traits in one organism and put it into another. 3. Genome editing- a new method that gives more precise and targeted ways to develop new crop varieties. Advantages of GMO: 1. Genetic engineering has a wider range of applications in medicine and agriculture. 2. Plants become resistant to pests, weeds, and the crops grown with more nutritional value. 3. It could potentially solve hunger and nutrient deficiencies among children. 4. Growing crops in different seasons can be possibly done. 5. More production of crops can be done. 6. It allows more profit. 7. It decreases the prices of food. Pests-resistant to plants: Scientists were able to develop pests-resistant crops by introducing the bacterium, bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to crops. Bt produces crystal proteins which are toxic to crop pests but not to humans. Herbicide-resistant plants: Scientists were able to develop the characteristic of plants where they can tolerate the chemicals in the herbicides that kill weeds. Increase in nutritional value: An example of this is the production of golden rice to increase nutritional value of rice aside from providing energy. It addresses the concern in deficiencies in Vitamin A. Genetic engineers isolated genes that encode enzymes for beta-carotene from daffodil flower and added them to rice. In this way beta-carotene, a precursor for vitamin A, has been synthesized. Disadvantages of GMO: GMO crops increase pesticide use. GMO crops have created superweed. GMO crops have toxic or allergenic effects on laboratory animals based on studies. GMO and Non-GMO crops cannot co-exist GMO is not precise technology that will continue to deliver unpleasant surprises. GMO is a threat to biodiversity. GMO is a potential threat to the autonomy and welfare of farmers who wish to produce non-GMO products. Socio-political risks of GMO: The potential risks associated with them have fueled controversy, especially in food industry. Many skeptics warn about the dangers that GM crops may pose human health. For example, genetic manipulation may potentially alter the allergenic properties of crops. C. Gene Therapy Gene therapy is a technique that uses gene(s) to treat, prevent or cure a disease or medical disorder. Often, gene therapy works by adding new copies of a gene that is broken, or by replacing a defective or missing gene in a patient’s cells with a healthy version of that gene. The technology that works on manipulating the genome to correct defective genes to treat heritable diseases. Gene Therapy allows the correction of disease-causing mutations to prevent the onset of diseases. Gene Editing, which results in modified genes, the faulty genes are corrected or edited by inserting “good genes.” Genes are often called the blueprint of life that carry the information responsible for the individual’s traits. These are the genetic materials in our body cells, often called the DNA or Deoxyribonucleic Acid. A genome is a complete set of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) or genes in a cell or organism. It contains all the information needed by the cells in our body to build, grow, and develop. A human genome consists of DNA packed together in 46 chromosomes. These chromosomes are in homologous pairs. Each pair contains a paternal chromosome (from the father) and a maternal chromosome (from the mother). Thus, each human cell has 23 pairs of chromosomes. Twenty-two pairs are autosomes described as non- sex chromosomes and a pair of sex chromosomes (X and Y chromosomes). These chromosomal pairs dictate the organisms’ characteristics. Genetic Disorder There are three main categories of genetic disorders (Bautista et al., 2018): a.) Autosomal single-gene disorder. It happens when the altered genes occur in the 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes. Examples are Huntington’s disease and Cystic Fibrosis. b.) X-linked disorder. It refers to diseases in which the altered genes occur in the sex chromosomes, specifically the X chromosomes. An example of an X-linked condition is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Chromosomal disorders. Those changes in the structure and number of chromosomes. The following are concepts that relate to chromosomal disorders There is the excess or lacking chromosome, rearrangement of the chromosome, and contiguous gene- syndrome. cardiovascular disease leading to congenital heart disease. chromosomal rearrangement. 21 (Trisomy 21: Three copies of Chromosome 21 instead of two). Multifactorial Inheritance. Changes in multiple genes combined with environmental and lifestyle factors such as diet or cigarette smoke caused multifactorial inheritance (yourgenome.org). relatives than second-degree relatives. How it works? Bautista, et al. (2018) described Gene Therapy as a method of treating or Gene therapy helps treat genetic disorders that occur due to mutations that alter or inhibit protein functions. Gene therapy focuses on correcting defective genes by: 1. Randomly inserting a normal gene into the genome (the most common technique). 2. Replacing the abnormal gene with the normal gene. 3. Repairing the abnormal gene. 4. Altering regulation of a particular gene. D. The Nano World “nano” – a prefix that denotes sizes of the order of one billionth of a meter. Originated from the Greek word nanos which means dwarf. It denotes 10 -9 or one-billionth of a meter. Nanoscience- this refers to the study of exceptionally small things that can be used across all other fields of science, such biology, chemistry, physics, material science, and engineering (NNI,2017) Nanotechnology – refers to the scientific study and utilization of very small structures whose size ranges between 1 nanometer (nm) up to 100 nanometers. Unique features of Nanoscale: 1. Scale at which biology occurs. Various activities of the cells take place at the nanoscale. DNA- 2 nanometers in diameter Hemoglobin – 5.5 nm in diameter 2. Scale at which quantum effects dominate properties of materials. Particles with dimensions of 1-100 nanometers have properties that are significantly discrete from particles of bigger dimensions. Quantum effects direct the behavior and properties of particles in this size scale. The properties of materials are highly dependent on their size. 3. Scale at which surfaces and interfaces play a large role in materials properties and interactions. Commercial applications of nanomaterials: a. Sunscreens- provides protection from harmful UV rays of soar radiation. b. Sefl-cleaning windows – break down the dirt and stain repellant fibers that can be washed away by rain. Electronics- projects that are being worked out under the program include ICT and semiconductors that have ongoing research and development. Agriculture – nanotechnology can be applied on chemical sensors and biosensors for precision agriculture. Food processing- several promising ventures are being done including edible coats for agriculture and food exports, regulated atmosphere storage for prepared commodities, and biodegradable food packaging with barrier properties and enhanced strength. E. Climate change Climate change – refers to the change in global or regional patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased level of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the use of fossil fuels. A. Weather VS Climate Weather is the day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity as described by daily forecasts. Examples of some weather phenomena include rain, fog, cold and warm fronts. On the other hand, climate refers to a long-term average of all-weather conditions in a specific area. Conditions such as average temperature, air pressure, humidity, and days of sunshine are studied in a span of 30 years. Figure 1. Weather (left) and Climate (right) Meteorology is the interdisciplinary study of temperature, moisture, air pressure, and wind direction in the troposphere while climatology focuses on how the changes in climate occur and how these may affect future conditions. For example, if we are talking about increased rainfall in meteorology study, we study the effects of the excessive rainfall on the animals living in the place in climatology. B. Factors that Affect Climate 1. Proximity to water or Continentality Coastal areas are cooler and more humid than inland areas. Bodies of water experience the following: a. Heat sink is a body of water, like oceans, rivers, and lakes, which have a damping effect on temperature. Sinks tend to store heat in warm periods and release them during cold periods. b. Convection current results when there is uneven heating of air and nearby water. Warm/hot air tends to rise while cool air sinks (Figure 2). Figure 2. Convection current c. Sea breeze happens when land heats faster than water. Warm air gets replaced by cool air coming from the sea. On the other hand, land breeze happens when land cools faster than water. Warm air gets replaced by cool air coming from land. Clouds form when warm air from inland areas meets the cool air from the sea. 2. Ocean currents The ocean occupies about 70% of the Earth’s surface and absorbs about twice as much of the sun’s radiation compared to the atmosphere and land surface. Oceans circulate either due to wind or thermohaline (temperatur e and salinity) forces. a. Tidal forces are forces that pull a body away from the center of a mass of one body from another due to difference in gravitational fields such as creating tides. b. Wind stress is a force exerted by the wind on the surface of the bodies of water. c. Density differences occur due to content of salt and temperature differences. Water sinks if it is colder and saltier since it is dense. Deep underwater has the coldest of temperatures.  3. Winds Winds occur when there is difference in air pressure gradient. There is larger difference of air pressures from stronger winds a. Coriolis force/effect describes the deflection of the wind as the Earth rotates (Figure 3). The descending winds are pushed westward since the Earth is rotating eastward. The value is affected by latitude. It is zero at the equator and increases to maximum at poles. b. Air friction, resistance, or drag refers to the forces opposing a passing object Figure 3. Coriolis Effect 4. Relief or shape of the land Mountain ranges affect solar radiation, temperature, and humidity. Air moving up a mountain slope expands and cools, thus increasing humidity. When humidity is increased, water particles are suspended in the air, thus increasing chance for clouds to develop. On the other hand, air moving downwards compresses and warms. Warm air going downwards decreases moisture, thus also decreasing precipitation since they evaporate. Figure 4. Relief of Mountain Range 5. Latitude or distance from the equator Latitude is the geographic coordinate that divides the north and south point in the Earth. It is 00 in the equator and 900 on the north or south poles. In general, the farther away from the equator, the less energy they receive on the ground. There are three general climatic zones in terms of latitude: a. Arctic, found from 66.50 towards north then another in the south, are very cold areas. b. Temperate are zones in between artic and tropic. These areas usually have 4 seasons and have no extremes of weather. Figure 5. Latitude Zones c. Tropics are hot zones close to the equator to about 23.50 which are humid and/or high in precipitation. 6. Altitude or Elevation There are differences in temperature and precipitation based on altitude. As altitude increases, the temperatur e decreases (gets colder). For every 100 meters rise in altitude, the temperature will drop by 1 0 C. Also, the layers of the atmosphere closest to the Earth will receive most heat compared to the elevated areas. When the temperature is higher, air moves fast so it loses its density, leading to lower barometric or air pressure. 7. El Niño and La Niña El Niño is the irregular warming of the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The warmer water pumps energy and moisture into the atmosphere, altering global wind and rainfall patterns. Figure 6 describes the pattern of movement in El Niño and La Niña. The darker shades describe the warm waters. In El Niño, there is warming of the Pacific Ocean around South America. La Niña on the other hand happens due to the warm waters moving back, therefore cooling the Pacific Ocean. C. Indicators of Climate Change (Worsening of climate indicated inside parenthesis) 1. Air temperature over land (hotter) 2. Air temperature over oceans (hotter) 3. Sea surface temperature (hotter water near the shores) 4. Sea level (increasing due to melted glaciers) 5. Ocean heat (hotter even in deep levels) 6. Humidity (increasing moisture in the air) 7. Tropospheric temperature (overall increased) D. Major Effects and Impacts of Climate Change 1. Rising temperatures (hotter) 2. Shrinking ice sheets (melting) 3. Sea level rise (some islands overlapped by the sea) 4. Biodiversity depletion (extinction) 5. Ocean acidification (increasing acid – carbon in the ocean) 6. Worsening extremes in temperature (very hot and very cold)  Main Causes of Climate Change and Global Warming: 1. Deforestation 2. Air pollution and increasing greenhouse gases Common greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) - ultimately caused by human progression and industrialization E.Climate Change Mitigation Climate Change Mitigation refers to any action focused on reducing the intensity of radiation forces to lessen the effects of global warming. The following are the five strategies: 1. Increase carbon sequestration and conversion. Carbon is cut down by improvement of vegetation management or sustainable land management techniques, cropland or grazing management, increasing soil carbon enhancement, and planting of trees. 2. Use of bioenergy. Use renewable resources and reduce emissions. 3. Reduced fertilizer use. Most fertilizers are nonbiodegradable, therefore harmful to the environment. Farmers should shift to the use of organic fertilizers. 4. Anaerobic digestion of waste. The anaerobic digestion of waste produces methane (CH 4) which is a potent greenhouse gas. There must be a constant effort to reduce its emission by collecting and storing them in anaerobic digesters. The gas can also be converted to biogas (mixture of methane and carbon dioxide). 5. Improved energy efficiency. Use green technologies such as wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, tidal, and recycling sources. Transportation improvement and technology is essential. People should produce energy - saving appliances, and practice conservation of energy by 3Rs (reduce, reuse, a nd recycle).