Assessing Ecological Risks of Biotechnology

Preface

Part I. Experience with Introduced Organisms


1. Keystone Species and Community Effects of Biological Introductions


1.1 Quantitative Estimates


1.2 Determinants of Major Ecological Effects


1.3 Species that Constitute New Habitats


1.4 Species that Modify Existing Habitat


1.5 Keystone Species that Do Not Initially Change Habitats


1.6 Synergisms and Invasions by Entire Communities


1.7 Conclusions

References


2. Planned Introductions in Biological Control


2.1 Classical Biological Control


2.2 Environmental Impact of Introduced Biological-Control Agents


2.3 Concluding Remarks

References

Part II. Ecology and Genetics of Microbial Populations


3. Surface Transport of Microorganisms by Water


3.1 Role of the Application Form


3.2 Runoff Effects


3.3 Microorganism-Release Characteristics


3.4 Case Studies


3.5 Buffer Areas and Vegetative Filters


3.6 Modeling Microorganism Movement


3.7 Summary

References


4. Soil and Groundwater Transport of Microoganisms


4.1 Overview of Issues Relating to the Survival of GEMs


4.2 Transport of Microorganisms in Soil and Subsurface Environments


4.3 Summary

References


5. Aerial Dispersal of Bacteria


5.1 Sources and Take-off


5.2 Aerial Transport


5.3 Deposition


5.4 Fate of Deposited Bacteria


5.5 The Overall Process

References


6. Factors Affecting the Transfer of Genetic Information Among Microorganisms in Soil


6.1 The Soil Ecosystem


6.2 Microbial Interactions


6.3 Monitoring GEMs in Soil


6.4 Gene Transfer in Soil


6.5 Effects of Physicochemical Factors of Soil on Gene Transfer


6.6 Conclusions

References


7. Genetic Exchange and Genetic Stability in Bacterial Populations


7.1 Sexuality in Bacteria


7.2 The Possibility of Genetic Exchange Between Species


7.3 Interspecific Gene Transfer and Its Consequences


7.4 Conclusions

References

Part III. Mathematical Models in Biotechnology Risk Assessment


8. Models for the Population Dynamics of Transposable Elements in Bacteria


8.1 Background and Terminology


8.2 Models


8.3 Conclusions

References


9. Quantifying Fitness and Gene Stability in Microorganisms


9.1 General Principles


9.2 Methodological Issues


9.3 Specific Methods for Estimating Parameters


9.4 Caveats and Assumptions


9.5 Summary and Conclusions

References


10. Quantifying the Risks of Invasion by Genetically Engineered Organisms


10.1 Risk Assessment Using Extreme Value Distribution


10.2 Discussion

References


11. Quantifying the Spread of Recombinant Genes and Organisms


11.1 Review of Spread Models


11.2 Using Field Data to Simulate Short-Term Spread


11.3 Some General Lessons from Existing Theory on Spread


11.4 The Nature of the Data Available from Field Releases


11.5 Final Remarks

References

Part IV. Regulation, Research Trends, and Social Values


12. Regulation of Biotechnology by the Environmental Protection Agency


12.1 Background


12.2 Statutory Arguments


12.3 Specific EPA Changes for Regulating Biotechnology


12.4 Regulatory Considerations for the Future


12.5 Conclusions

References


13. Ecological Considerations in EPA's Review for Field Tests of Genetically Engineered Organisms


13.1 Regulation by the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP)


13.2 Regulation by the Office of Toxic Substances (OTS)


13.3 Case Studies of 12 Applications


13.4 Evaluation of the Case Studies


13.5 Emphasis on Ecological Considerations by the EPA


14. Regulation and Oversight of Biotechnological Applications for Agriculture and Forestry


14.1 Present Organizational Structures and Coordination


14.2 Historical Perspective on Research Guidelines


14.3 Development of USD A Research Guidelines


14.4 USDA Regulations for Biotechnology


14.5 Summary

References


15. Ecological Risk Assessment and European Community Biotechnology Regulation


15.1 Approaches to Regulation in European Countries


15.2 Toward Community-Wide Regulation


15.3 Involvement of the EC in the Regulation of Biotechnology


15.4 A Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology


15.5 Regulation of Deliberate Releases


15.6 Conclusions and Recommendations

References


16. Ecological Risk Analysis of Biotechnological Waste Decontamination


16.1 Applications of Biotechnology to Waste Treatment


16.2 The Need to Identify and Assess Environmental Risks


16.3 Scientific Issues


16.4 EPRI's Risk Analysis Research Strategy


16.5 Conclusion

References


17. On Making Nature Safe for Biotechnology


17.1 The Effects of Domesticated Species


17.2 The Effects of Biotechnology on Wild and Natural Ecosystems


17.3 New Fish for Old


17.4 Biotechnology and the Return of Land to Nature


17.5 Ecological Science and the Fate of Nature


17.6 The Policy Issues


17.7 Another View of Risk

References

Index