Download Sample Annotated Bibliography

Thesis: The release of genetically modified mosquitoes is both ethically irresponsible and
a gross overestimation of the understanding humans have of ecosystems.
Annotated Bibliography
Atwood, Margaret. Oryx and Crake. New York: Anchor Books, 2003. Print.
Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake is a novel (referred to by Atwwod as
speculative ficiton) set in a post-apocalyptic future. It follows Snowman, the main
character, as he maneuvers through what remains of the world. Snowman represents a
critical moment in the history of the apocalypse as he is significantly positioned between
the two title characters. Snowman's post-apocalyptic tale is also the tale of what caused
the world to fall. The reader learns that humanity's end was brought about by the desire
to genetically modify species to craft what the world "needs." This novel will be used as
an allegory for the destructiveness of genetic modification and the introduction of such
things into ecosystems. This tale reflects the grandiose idea of tailoring organisms to the
world and the severity of such repercussions. Atwood's novel will not establish a
potential outcome as a warning but rather that the audacity of genetic modification is
already understood at a cultural level and is being ignored.
Boudjelas, Browne, De Poorter, Lowe. 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species:
A selection from the Global Invasive Species Database. Auckland, New Zealand:
The Invasive Species Specialist Group, 2000. Electronic.
This publication is an examination the introduciton of non-native species to new
areas and the havoc they cause. It highlights the destructive force of both plants and
animals that are superior to the rest of the organisms within the ecosystem. Humans have
a long history of introducing species to systems that cannot handle them. The Japanese
kudzu is a vine that was introduced to stop soil erosion. This plant now has a strangle
hold on the plants it resides with. The North American beaver was introduced to Tierra
del Fuego to create a fur trade with destructive results. The cane toad was introduced in
Australia to deal with pests which it didn't end up eating. Instead the toad caused a
decline in native reptile populations. The brown tree snake is responsible for the
extinction of a type of kingfisher in Gaum. The addition of new species to foreign
ecosystems has traditionally harmed the environment. Just because a mosquito already
exists in certain areas does not mean that a genetically modified mosquito will not act in
the same manner as the 100 species mentioned here.
Kluger, Jeffrey. "Battling Mosquitoes with Lasers and Genes." TIME: 100 New Scientific
Discoveries. Ed. Jeffrey Kluger. New York: Time Home Entertainment Inc.,
2011. 28-31. Print.
This article begins with a lucid overview of the two alterations made to
mosquitoes to prevent the spread of Malaria. The first alteration is to reduce the lifespan
so that the mosquitoes could not incubate the disease. The mosquito simply cannot live
long enough to transmit the disease. The second modification is an adaptation to make
the modified insects outperform the mosquitoes in nature so that the new versions replace
them in a generation or two. The other response to the mosquito issue in this article is
about a an inexpensive laser system that targets female mosquitoes and kills them. This
article has situated two technologies that can combat the Malaria problem next to one
another. It is with this notion that one can establish that genetic modification is not the
only chance. There are ways of dealing with this problem that do not involve assuming a
group of scientists' understanding of complex ecosystems is correct. Of course, they may
not have even considered it at all.
Trivedi, Bijal. "The Wipeout Gene." Scientific American Nov. 2011: 68-75. Print.
This article identifies researchers who have been working with genetically
modified mosquitoes. Trivedi speaks about a modification system that prevents females
from leaving their nest. Since they are the biters, diseases like Dengue are prevented
across the board by wiping out native populations. This article is not so much concerned
with the plans that replace mosquitoes but rather those that wipe out populations and the
ethical concerns surrounding such a move. Trivedi also brings forth an alarming
instance. Genetically modified mosquitoes have already been released on Grand Cayman
island in the Caribbean. There is no governing entity for this type of action. It is legal
simply because no one has stated it is anything else. The effects of the eradication of a
species are unclear but disaster is certainly an option. It is ethically irresponsible to
commit such an act.
Zimmer, Carl. "Ecosystems on the Brink." Scientific American Oct. 2012: 60-65. Print.
This article talks about the complexity of interactions within ecosystems. It offers
myriad examples of moments in which the addition or removal of a single species has
changed the landscape itself. Zimmer also summarizes current research being done to
further understanding of the complex interactions between the many species within these
systems. This article shows that while it is possible to see the effects of a species'
removal or addition to a system, it is very difficult to predict the outcome. It is very
likely that an unforeseen interaction between species can completely transmute the
landscape. This article helps establish the notion that researchers are not ready to
introduce a new mosquito to the system, not necessarily because they haven't succeeded
in their initial goals but because those goals did not include checking the system itself.
The researchers are showing callous disregard for the complexity of ecosystems.