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GENETIC MODIFICATION PROPOSED TO SAVE ENDANGERED SPECIES

by Prajina Neupane | 02-08-2018 16:06 recommendations 1

Biologists suggest genes might be introduced even from other species to help survival in changing climatic conditions.
Climate change is one of the most challenging problems today. The natural adaptability of species are not changed along with the change in climate. So, they are being endangered and some are even extinct.
Addressing to this problem, biologists suggest to introduce gene even from other species to help survival in changing climatic conditions. This is called as "Facilitated Adaptation", which involved rescuing populations or species by introducing gene variants that allow them to survive in changing temperatures or different ecological niches.
According to Thomas, of Idaho State University in Pocatello, " Even the most conservative estimates predict that 15 - 40% of living species will be effectively extinct by 2050 as a result of climate change, habitat loss and other consequences of human activities." Genetic modification is already done  in many plants. About 12% of the total arable land worldwide is planted with GM ceops. Thus, this can be done in animals as well. Threatened animals could be hybridized with individuals from the same species that are better adapted to a new environment. Or, if scientists could identify the genes that made one population more suited over other in the particular environment, they could insert those genes directly into the less suited population or individuals.
As everything has its shadow, genetic modifications could also bring unmanageable and unintended consequences. So, ideas are required from a mass collaboration of climate scientists, molecular biologists and ecologists regarding this topic.
Facilitated adaptation will also require a change  in people's views about biodiversity conservation and it's ethics, practices and impact on society. For some species, it could turn out to be the only viable remedy.

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1 Comments

  • Deepak Subedi says :
    If genetic modification can help in saving rare plants we have to do in our country as well, we have to focus on rare medicinal plants.thanks fro the report.

    Posted 02-08-2018 16:25

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