GMO Biosafety Research 2015, Vol.6, No.2, 1-6
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In nature, each species has natural enemy; a process
that limits the number of its population. Influence of
GM plants’ toxins on predatory and parasitic insects
can create serious changes in ecosystem, including
“prosperity” of some species and complete extinction
of others. For example, honeybees are very sensitive
to Bt-toxins (Malone L.A. and Pham-Delègue M.H.,
2001; Robyn Rose et al., 2007) . The other example,
ladybugs feeding on larvae subjected to transgenic
potatoes’ toxin have been reported to have altered
physiological processes (Katrien Michiels et al., 2010).
Resistant pests such as Colorado beetle emerged this
way. In some other cases, pests just adopted to other
plants – tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. One of the
significant studies assessing the impact of transgenic
plants to fauna and flora was carried out in England in
1999-2003. In these tests, the effects of 66 sugar beet,
68 corn and 67 mixed transgenic plants to flora and
fauna were examined in the territory of cultivation. In
addition to the reduction of the flora’s population in
the territories of GM plants it was discovered that, in
the territories of cultivation of rapeseeds and sugar
beet, the weeds spread decreased by 20 %. On the
contrary, in territories where corn were planted weed
types increased
et al., 2007). It is important
to mention that even if we consider weeds as harmful,
yet they positively sustain the population of many
invertebrate animals, and this in turn plays important
role as feed for the birds. In these areas, the diversity
of animals also decreased. Number of insects in GMO
planted areas had considerably decreased. This
process can be observed clearly in the example of
insects feeding on weeds. Even the number of very
rare butterflies and bees’ species also considerably
decreased. It is difficult to imagine our planet without
these insects. Replace of genes of cultivated plants
with genes of weeds resulted in reduce of weeds
population (Wolf D.E. et al., 2001). In scientific
practice transfer of genes from cultivated plants to
wild varieties was proved and this process played
important role in the evolution of weeds. From the
research implemented by the scientists of Korea and
China it became clear that genes from cultivated form
of rice resistant to herbicides Oryza sativa L. can pass
on to their wild relative (O. rufipogon Griff.) and its
degree is 1,21- 2,19% (Chen L.J. et al., 2004).
Long-term experiments held in France showed that
genes of glifosate and gluphosinate herbicide resistant
cultivated sugar beet (
Beta vulgaris L
.) can easily pass
on to its wild variety
Beta vulgaris
L (Darmency H. et
al., 2007). The scientists also tried to clarify what shall
be the distance between GMO planted areas and fields
with natural varieties so that genes do not pass on.
According to their research results, pollens can pass
on in a distance of several hundred meters between
GM plants fields and areas having wild varieties. In
many cases, it is indicated the extreme border of the
distance between fields but this issue remains complex.
The complexity of factors affecting pollen dispersion
(wind, insects, water channels, animals and etc.)
prevents the clear resolution of this issue (Darmency
H. et al., 2007). Spread of genes depends not only on
natural but also on anthropogenic factors. Intensive
transportation occurs between countries which
establish wide economic ties. During transportation
transgene spread can intensify. There are such
countries, in which GMOs were never planted,
however GMO genes has been found in the
composition of weeds. For example, Japan scientists
found genes of glifosate and gluphosinate herbicide
resistant rape in the wild varieties growing on wide
territory of their ports. This testifies that despite
Japan’s ban, transgenes can spread by means of
different transportation (Saji H. et al., 2005).
The Convention on Biological Biodiversity has 3 main
objectives: 1) Conservation of biological biodiversity,
2) sustainable use of components of biological
biodiversity, 3) fair and equal sharing of the benefits
arising out of the utilization of genetic resources
(Convention on biological diversity, June 5, (1992)).
There can be legal, ecological and physical ways to
preserve biodiversity. The creation of national
legislation in different counties and international
binding laws, can better elaborate the legal aspects of
biodiversity protection. Economic, trade and property
aspects of biodiversity’s legal regulation is managed
in laws. Legal issues of conservation and sustainable
use of biodiversity is resolved in these regulation.
Legal regulations to protect against the impact of
GMOs on biodiversity constrained on national and
international level are effective. There is no other way
to preserve biodiversity than the sustainable use of its
components. Use of GMOs influence components of
biodiversity both on the genomic and number of
