The Effects of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity

The wide range of plant and animal species that live on the planet – referred to as biodiversity – is now being threatened by intensive agriculture. A growing human population, however, also entails growing needs, which, in turn, requires current agricultural practices to maximize the use of available land while minimizing damage to the environment and biodiversity. Genetically modified (GM) crops bring much promise as much as they carry many questions. Are they safe? Will they be able to answer for humankind’s most pressing agricultural needs? Following is a condensed version of a review written by Ammann (2004), entitled “The Impact of Agricultural Biotechnology on Biodiversity,” which may be downloaded in full at http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Biotech-Biodiv/Report-Biodiv-Biotech12.pdf. In his review, Ammann attempts to answer the questions raised on genetically modified organisms and their effects on the environment.