Gmo, Biodiversity and Climate Change

Science, Technology and Society
SPECIFIC ISSUES IN SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Christine Joy B. Sarmiento, LPT

GENETICALLY
MODIFIED ORGANISM
WHAT IS GMO?
• Genetically modified organism( GMO) is an organism,

either plant, animal or microorganism, in which the genetic
material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur
naturally by mating or natural recombination- WHO, 2014
• It is an organism whose genome has been engineered in the

laboratory in order to favour the expression of desired
physiological traits or the production of desired biological
products.
• Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the
direct manipulation of an
organism's genome using biotechnology.
• In genetic modification, however, recombinant genetic
technologies are employed to produce organisms whose
genomes have been precisely altered at the molecular level,
usually by the inclusion of genes from unrelated species of
organisms that code for traits that would not be obtained easily
through conventional selective breeding.
GMO IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES
• Pest resistance
• Virus resistance
• Herbicide resistance
• Fortification
• Cosmetic preservation
• Increased growth rate- AquAdvantage salmon
GMO IN NON-FOOD CROPS AND
MICROORGANISMS
• Flower production- “blue rose”
• Paper production- poplar trees
• Pharmaceutical productions- periwinkle plant
• Bioremediation- shrub tobacco
• Enzyme and drug production- thermoanaerobacter
• Enzyme- CGTase or Cyclomaltodextrin glycosltransferase
• GMOs in medical field- humulin
BENEFITS OF GMO
• Higher efficiency in farming

• Increase in harvest
• Improvement of desirable characteristics
• Nutritional and pharmaceutical enhancement
• Reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides
POTENTIAL RISKS OF GMO
• Promotes mutation in organisms

• Human consumption of GMOs might have the following
effects:
more allergic reactions, gene mutation, antibiotic resistance,
nutritional value
• Risk in gene flow
• Emergence of new forms of resistance and secondary pests
and weed problems
• Recombination of virus and bacteria to produce new
pathogens
• The possibility of unexpected behavior of the GMOs in the
environment if it escapes its intended use and may posts threat
or become pest
• Human genome project
• Cloning
BIOSAFETY IN GMO
• The Codex Alimentarius Commission (codex)-

intergovernmental body that develops the codex alimentarius,
known as the International Food Code, responsible for the
development of standards, codes of practices, guidelines and
recommendations on food safety.
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety- international environmental
treaty that regulates the transboundary movements of living
modified organisms.
• International Trade Agreement on Labelling food and food
products- agreement that requires exporters to label Gm food and
give rights to importing parties to reject or accept GM products.
BIODIVERSITY
• vast variety of life forms in the entire earth. It encompasses all

kinds of life forms, from single-celled organisms to the largest
multi-celled organisms
• variability among living organisms from all sources, including

terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes
diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems
TERMS TO REMEMBER
• Biodiversity: The range of variation found among microorganisms, plants,

fungi, and animals. Also the richness of species of living organisms.
• Ecosystem: Any geographic area with all of the living organisms present and
the nonliving parts of their physical environment. Involves the movement and
storage of energy and matter through living things and activities.
• Community: Populations of organisms of different species that interact with
one another.
• Population: A group of individuals belonging to one species living in an area.
• Species: A group of populations of similar organisms that reproduce among
themselves, but do not naturally reproduce with any other kinds of organisms
• Gene: A unit of inherited material. An organism’s collection of genes
determines what it is, what it looks like, and often how it behaves. Organism:
An individual living thing.
3 TYPES OF BIODIVERSITY
• Genetic diversity is all the different genes contained in all

individual plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. It
occurs within a species as well as between species.
• Species diversity is all the differences within and between
populations of species, as well as between different species.
• Ecosystem diversity is all the different habitats, biological
communities, and ecological processes, as well as variation
within individual ecosystems
THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
• Habitat loss and destruction

• Alteration in ecosystem composition
• Over exploitation
• Pollution and contamination
• Global climate change
CLIMATE CHANGE
refers to statistically significant changes in climate for continuous

period of time
CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Natural causes:
 Volcanic eruptions- it emits natural aerosols like carbon dioxide, sulfur

dioxide, volcanic ashes, dust and others which can cause cooling effect
to the lithosphere
 Orbital changes
a. Eccentricity- describes the shape of the Earth’s orbit around the sun.
b. Obliquity- variation of the tilt of the Earth’s axis away from the orbital
plane.
c. Precession- change in the orientation of Earth’s rotational axis.
MILANKOVITCH CYCLE
• Human activities
RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
• Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the

importance of its protection. Different organizations and government agencies started to
show their awareness of environmental problems by initiating movements known as
Environmentalism, that will help in slowing down the negative impacts of human activities
to the destruction of the planet and its environment.
• Environmental awareness is an integral part of the movement’s success. By teaching our

friends and family that the physical environment is fragile and indispensable, we can begin
fixing the problems that threaten it.
• Environmentalism can be described as a social movement or as an ideology focused on the

welfare of the environment. Environmentalism seeks to protect and conserve the elements
of earth's ecosystem, including water, air, land, animals, and plants, along with entire
habitats such as rainforests, deserts and oceans. Promoting environmental awareness is an
easy way to become an environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future
for our children.
Some international events that
promotes environmental
awareness are the following:
Some international events that
promotes environmental
awareness are the following:
Climate Change Act of 2009
Created the Climate Change

Commission under the Office of the
President.
The Commission, is in charge of

programs to cut down carbon
emissions and lessen the impact of
climate change.

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Science, Technology and Society

SPECIFIC ISSUES IN SCIENCE,

Christine Joy B. Sarmiento, LPT

• Genetically modified organism( GMO) is an organism,

• It is an organism whose genome has been engineered in the

• Higher efficiency in farming

• Promotes mutation in organisms

• The Codex Alimentarius Commission (codex)-

• vast variety of life forms in the entire earth. It encompasses all

• variability among living organisms from all sources, including

• Biodiversity: The range of variation found among microorganisms, plants,

• Genetic diversity is all the different genes contained in all

• Habitat loss and destruction

refers to statistically significant changes in climate for continuous

 Volcanic eruptions- it emits natural aerosols like carbon dioxide, sulfur

• Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the

• Environmental awareness is an integral part of the movement’s success. By teaching our

• Environmentalism can be described as a social movement or as an ideology focused on the

Created the Climate Change

The Commission, is in charge of

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