GE trees, cellulosic ethanol, and the destruction of forest biological diversity

Capitalism, Nature, Socialism

Volumn 19, Issue 3, 2008, Pages 48-64

  Petermann, Anne ^a   Tokar, Brian ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CELLULOSE; DEFORESTATION; ETHANOL; FOREST RESOURCE; GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM; LOGGING (TIMBER); TIMBER; TREE;

EID: 51549094284     PISSN: 10455752     EISSN: 15483290     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/10455750802348796     Document Type: Article

References (72)

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2. "GM Tree Could be Used for Cellulosic Ethanol, Fast-Growing Trees Could Take Root as Future Energy Source," Purdue University press release, August 24, 2006, online at: http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/ 2006/060823.Chapple.poplar.html.
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4. Ibid.
5. Derek Bacon, "Woodstock Revisited," The Economist, March 8, 2007.
6. While "contamination" is the preferred terminology for this phenomenon, in most non-technical literature, advocates of genetic engineering have sought to replace it with the less familiar and more ambiguous term "adventitious presence." The research literature is mainly concerned with the "introgression" of novel traits, i.e., the successful and inheritable incorporation of transgenic DNA into the genome of a population of native organisms or non-modified crops.
7. See http://www.gmcontaminationregister.org/.
8. Greenpeace International, "GM Contamination Register Report: Annual Review of Cases of Contamination, Illegal Planting and Negative Side Effects of Genetically Modified Organisms," February 2007, online at: http://www.genewatch.org/uploads/f03c6d66a9b354535738483c1c3d49e4/ gm_contamination_report_2006.pdf.
9. Doug Gurian-Sherman, "Contaminating the Wild? Gene Flow from Experimental Field Trials of Genetically Engineered Crops to Related Wild Plants," Center for Food Safety, Washington, D.C., 2006.
10. F. Pearce "Altered Trees Hide Out with the Poplars," New Scientist September 19, 2004, p. 7.
11. See http://www.gmcontaminationregister.org/ index.php?content=re_detail_angw_id=35, and references therein.
12. Andrew Pollack, "Widely Used Crop Herbicide Is Losing Weed Resistance," The New York Times, January 14, 2003.
13. These specific examples are from the Monsanto-originated site at: http://www.weedresistancemanagement.com/.
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20. See also Jonathan R. Latham, et al., "The Mutational Consequences of Plant Transformation," Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, 2006, pp. 1-7, online at: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov.
21. J.E. Hancock, W.M. Loya, C.P. Giardina, L. Li, V.L. Chiang, and K.S. Pregitzer, "Plant Growth, Biomass Partitioning and Soil Carbon Formation in Response to Altered Lignin Biosynthesis in Populus tremuloides," New Phytologist, Vol. 73, No. 4, March 2007, pp. 732-742.
22. J. Cummins and Mae-Wan Ho, "Unregulated Release of GM Poplars and Hybrids," report submitted to U.S. Department of Agriculture APHIS in response to a permit application (06-250-01r) from Oregon State University for field tests of transgenic Populus Alba and Populus hybrids, August 2007.
23. David Pacchioli, "Researchers at the New Biomass Energy Center are Homing in on Future Fuels," Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania, September 24, 2007, online at: http://www.rps.psu.edu/ indepth/bioenergy1.html.
24. Viola Sampson and Larry Lohmann, "Corner House Briefing 21: Genetically Modified Trees," December, 2000, p. 8.
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27. F. Pearce 2004, op. cit., p. 7.
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40. J. Cummins and M. Ho, op. cit. 34John Ross, "Big Pulp vs. the Zapatistas: Cellulose Dreams in Southern Mexico," Multinational Monitor, April 1998, p. 9.
41. Introduced Species Summary Project, Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.), online at: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/ danoff-burg/invasion_bio/in_suvp_summ/Eucalyptus_globulus.html.
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43. Rod McGuirk, The Associated Press, May 7, 2008.
44. Stephen Kasnet and Luke Moriarty, "Rubicon Interim Report," Rubicon, February 28, 2007.
45. Ibid.
46. Michael Shirek, "Novozymes Concludes Agreement in Brazil Regarding Second-generation Biofuels," Ethanol Producer Magazine, September 2007.
47. Stephen Kasnet and Luke Moriarty, 2007, op. cit.
48. Maria Osavo, "Steel and Eucalyptus Heat Up Eastern Amazon," Special to Tierramérica http://www.tierramerica.info/ nota.php?lang=eng&idnews=554.
49. John Ross, "Big Pulp vs. the Zapatistas: Cellulose Dreams in Southern Mexico," Multinational Monitor, April, 1998, p. 9.
50. Yingling Liu, "Chinese Biofuels Expansion Threatens Ecological Disaster," Worldwatch Institute, March 13, 2007, online at: http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4959.
51. Ben Macintyre, "Weed Moves from Bowels to Biofuel," The Australian July 30, 2007.
52. UN FAO GMO registry.
53. Qing Liu, Surinder Singh & Allan Green, "Genetic Modification of Vegetable Oils for Potential Use as Biodiesel," CSIRO Plant Industry presentation, May 2007, online at: http://www.thaijatropha.com/9.pdf.
54. David Adams, "Biofuel Push May Take Root in Georgia," St. Petersburg Times, February 8, 2007.
55. D. Quist and I. Chapela, "Transgenic DNA Introgressed into Traditional Maize Landraces in Oaxaca, Mexico," Nature, Vol. 414, November 29, 2001, pp. 541-543.
56. See, for example, ETC Group, "Genetic Pollution in Mexico's Center of Maize Diversity," Food First Backgrounder, Vol., 8, No. 2, Spring 2002, online at: http://www.foodfirst.org/pubs/backgrdrs/2002/ sp02v8n2.html
57. E. Ortiz and J. Mainero, "Evidence of Gene "Flow from Transgenic Maize to Local Varieties in Mexico," in OECD, LMOS and the Environment: Proceedings of an International Conference, OECD, 2002, pp. 289-295, online at: http://www.oecd.org/document/18/ 0,2340,en_2649_34385_2509330_1_1_1_1,00.html.
58. "StarLink Found in More Foods," United Press International, April 25, 2001
59. Paul Jacobs, "Banished Biotech Corn Not Gone Yet," San Jose Mercury News, December 1, 2003.
60. B. Jacobs, ibid.
61. M. MacArthur, "Triple-Resistant Canola Weeds Found in Alberta," Western Producer, February 10, 2000, online at: http://www.producer.com/articles/20000210/news/20000210news01.html.
62. L. Hall, et al., "Pollen Flow between Herbicide-resistant Brassica Napus is the Cause of Multiple-resistant B. Napus Volunteers," Weed Science, Vol. 48, No. 6, November 2000, pp. 688-694.
63. Greenpeace International, "GM Contamination Register Report: Annual Review of Cases of Contamination, Illegal Planting, and Negative Side Effects of Genetically Modified Organisms," February 2007, online at http://www.genewatch.org/uploads/f03c6d66a9b354535738483c1c3d49e4/ gm_contamination_report_2006.pdf
64. G. Lean, "Rice Contaminated by GM has been on Sale for Months," The Independent, August 27, 2006, online at: http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1222081.ece
65. R. Weiss, "Rice Industry Troubled by Genetic Contamination," Washington Post, March 11, 2007.
66. GM Contamination Register Report, ibid., p. 15.
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70. S. Hao, "Papaya Production Taking a Tumble," Honolulu Adviser, March 19, 2006
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72. "GE Papaya Scandal in Thailand: Illegal GE Seeds Found in Packages Sold by Department of Agriculture," online at: http://www.greenpeace.org/news/details?item_id=547563.