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CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON GENETIC RESOURCES IN THE CARIBBEAN ROLE OF GENETIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND UTILISATION CLIMATE CHANGE • Climate change refers to long-term changes in the weather pattern. • The real threat of climate change lies in – Rapidity with which the changes occur – Unpredictability of weather patterns ISLAND CARIBBEAN STATES • The Caribbean islands are home to unique ecosystems and species, with unsurpassed biodiversity. • Extremely vulnerable – fragmentation of habitat - small population sizes – invasive species – fires, hurricanes, floods CLIMATE CHANGE IN ISLAND STATES OF THE CARIBEAN • Sea level rises – loss of coastal ecosystems, coastal erosion, salination of arable lands • Increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes – flooding, wind damage, further fragmentation of habitats • Increased frequency and severity of droughts – fires, crop losses. CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEMS • Ecosystems will become fragmented and population sizes reduced. • Species extinction rates are already much higher in island states – Likely to be further aggravated by climate change. • Species may require human intervention for survival. AGRICULTURE SCENARIO • Likely to be more severe in agriculture – – – – Reliance on a few crops No genetic variability within crops No evolutionary flexibility of varieties Reliance on imported varieties with poor adaptability – Modern varieties show limited plasticity – Seed production system not conducive to evolution IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE • Greater management interventions reqd – greater cost of production and poor profitability • Greater agricultural risk due to unpredictable weather patterns. • Lead to system of agriculture that is not sustainable. • Implications to food security. Genetic Resource Management • Aims – Improve evolutionary flexibility • to allow species and varieties to evolve to climate change (prevent extinction) – Reduce Agricultural Risk and Cost of Production • Improving environmental flexibility by improving the stability of varieties • Improve adaptability Genetic Resource Management • Species in natural ecosystems should be monitored for their health – genetic and biotechnology tools provide a system for monitoring. – Endangered species would require human intervention. – Conservation strategies for ecosystems. Genetic Resource Management • Indigenous crop species of the Caribbean should be collected and conserved – Adapted to the Caribbean, have the greatest genetic variability and hence evolutionary flexibility. • Underdeveloped crops should be developed to provide a greater crop diversity Genetic Resource Management • Rethinking the crop ideotype • Rethinking the population structure of varieties • Rethinking our seed production systems Genetic Resource Management • Pre-breeding populations • Reduce agricultural risk through breeding for tolerances • Crop biotechnology • Local more diversified breeding efforts A Note of the Role of Biotechnology • Biotechnology tools have provided a scientific basis for managing natural populations by studying the genetic diversity • Provide means of adaptation to new stresses in short periods of time. Thank you.