[Iowa-dx] Another Best Answer - Breeding Plant Species And Integrity Of The
Eco-System
GreenParty Ron
greenpartyron@activist.com
Thu, 7 Feb 2008 19:55:50 -0500
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1. Home > Environment > Other - Environment > Resolved Question
TWO SOCKS's Avatar TWO SOCKS
Member since: January 11, 2007
Total points: 3680 (Level 4)
Resolved Question:
------------------
How does cross- breeding plant species affect the integrity of the
eco-system?
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About a year and a half ago I read in a book by, Clair Palmer that many
ecologists consider cross-breeding plants,
(i.e. broccoflower, grape tomatoes, etc.) hazardous to the integrity of
the eco-system and it's biodiversity. Couldsomeone please expound on
this? Book or e-zine references would be great also. Thanx. Best Answer -
Chosen by Asker: Libris FIdelis's Avatar by Libris FIdelis
Member since: January 07, 2008
Total points: 190 (Level 1)
Cross-breeding is a specialty that nature (Gaia) seldom entertains. The
first example is the "mule", which cannot mate to have offspring. It is
the human-induced mating of a female horse with a male donkey. Nature
predominantly rejects cross-breeding.
When humans cross-breed other life forms, whether it is flora or fauna,
it disrupts the natural exchange of genes. Genetic mutations and natural
limited cross-breeding do occur, and are controlled by success or failure
criteria that either reward or penalize the new life form due to
environmental and biological conditions. But when humans cross-breed
life, it is then protected by humans until it can be propagated, and that
then changes the inter-relationships of all living forms in
bio-diversity. Anything out-of-place in the natural scheme of things
either perishes or kills other life forms until it can find its niche.
There is a reason why every natural feature of life exists, and that is
the key to survival that Charles Darwin and Cooke before him explained
(Charles Darwin's grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, who died before Charles
was born, was also an evolutionist). The natural "acceptance" of change
is based on successful interaction, such as, a three-legged horse would
not be successful any more than a two-headed snake, although they might
survive for some time.
When humans interfere with natural genetics that are quite successful, it
disorganizes the natural success characteristics. In foods such as corn
and wheat, which are really grasses, humans have found that they can make
supplies for consumption by modifying their genetics through
"bio-engineering" called "hybridization", but those newly created
"grains" cannot be consumed by the creatures (such as small birds) who
had once depended upon them, and the counter-action to humans is that
grasses cause cavities and diabetes in humans!
Similarly, human changes to bovine cattle have resulted in cow milk being
a chief nourishment for humans, but cow milk is "designed" to produce
thick bones in calves and an infant animal's growth from a human baby
size to a 500 to 1000 pound animal in six months or so. It is not natural
for cows to provide milk incessantly year after year, as milking-cows do.
Worse, ranching cattle can destroy most of the ecosystem and cause
erosion: though not as bad as sheep, as large heards they eat grass until
there is no food for other animals, they trample stream banks which puts
soil into the streams that kills fish, their meat is high in fat and
cholesterol which is bad for human health, and human "husbandry" has led
to larger cattle than is traditional. By favoring certain animals, humans
have killed off other animals because they were considered to be "less
desireable", and yet, animals have a way of "symbiotically" assisting
each other in ways unexpected, such as carnivores culling genetically
weaker animals so they do not share their genes.
The food values to such fruit as tomatos, peaches, apples and vegetables
exist because of certain reasons. A watermellon is a great water source,
but it only grows in sandy soils where there is ample water. Humans can
change such plants to perform their life functions in ways that may take
a century or more to analyze. We often do not know of the potential
effects of changing the genetics of anything because results take so long
to witness.
In hybridization, which is how corn and wheat came from grasses, people
used the best of several same-genetic species to produce a different
"superior" result, such as large thick kernals that grow vertically for
six inches to a foot. Natural "corn" was but a grassy "feather" of seed
barely five inches tall.
But when mixing unlike species, the entire process is to create an
organism that is no longer functional according to the organism's
original success formula. Hybrid corn uses a whole lot of water, for
instance, much more than its original ancestor varieties. Hybridization
of the potato led to diseases the natural smaller potato did not suffer
from, because the composition of the root became more watery and
susceptible to fungi due to its genetic changes. Plant disease can often
spread to differing species when one plant is a host to a disease, such
as the potato was.
Each organism has a biological "plan". Trying to mix an abalone with a
croccodile (pardon me for taking this from an actual joke out of the
1950s) to produce a "crock-a-baloney" is impossible, yet, mixing
vegitable types to produce a different kind of food source can make a
monster out of a plant that can kill off indigenous plants (tumbleweeds
have killed indigenous grasses across the west as much as cattle have)
and yet, if it will not survive as a "partner" in the eco-system, it will
rob other plants of their nutrients and moisture.
As to food value to humans, certain fruits and vegitables and nuts have
certain nutrients we need that other fruits and vegitables and nuts do
not provide. By mixing genetics, we have no idea if it will reduce the
values we need, compromise the benefits or even over-produce nutrients we
need so that they are too potent. Toxicity is also a factor. All of these
conditions are "unknowns" even when laboratory analysis over several
years finds no adverse affects: it can take a century or more to really
see the result of cross-breeding. It is best to stick with traditional
foods that humans developed on: nuts, fruits, vegitables, and small game
animals that are natural to the environment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asker's Rating: 3 out of 5
Asker's Comment: Thanx. Very useful info. I would have liked some book
titles or links but I'll just google up some of the key words in your
answer and see where they lead.
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<DT class=3Dmember>Member since: January 11, 2007=20
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<DIV class=3Dhd>
<H2>Resolved Question:</H2></DIV>
<H1 class=3Dsubject>How does cross- breeding plant species affect the integ=
rity of the eco-system?</H1>
<DIV class=3Dcontent>About a year and a half ago I read in a book by, Clair=
Palmer that many ecologists consider cross-breeding plants, <BR>(i.e. broc=
coflower, grape tomatoes, etc.) hazardous to the integrity of the eco-syste=
m and it's biodiversity. Could</DIV>
<DIV class=3Dcontent>someone please expound on this? Book or e-zine referen=
ces would be great also. Thanx.</DIV>
<DIV class=3Dcontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=3Dcontent><FONT size=3D4><SPAN><FONT color=3D#43b607><STRONG>Bes=
t Answer</STRONG></FONT></SPAN> - Chosen by Asker:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dcontent> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=3D"answer best" id=3DBsx9OEbjEUiZENQKDnDW>
<DIV class=3D"profile vcard "><A class=3Davatar href=3D"http://answers.yaho=
o.com/my/profile;_ylt=3DAkll.IwAa3q4U19rcHi3chEU.Rd.;_ylv=3D3?show=3Dr8cRDo=
pHaa"><IMG class=3Dphoto alt=3D"Libris FIdelis's Avatar" src=3D"http://us.i=
1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sch/gr2/nophoto3_48x48.gif" width=3D48><FONT co=
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NglUhRHL7qYU.Rd.;_ylv=3D3?show=3Dr8cRDopHaa"><SPAN class=3Dfn><FONT color=
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<DL class=3Dstats>
<DT class=3Dmember>Member since: January 07, 2008=20
<DT class=3Dtotal>Total points: 190 (Level 1) </DT></DL></DIV>
<H2 class=3Dqa-container><FONT size=3D4>Cross-breeding is a specialty that =
nature (Gaia) seldom entertains. The first example is the "mule", which can=
not mate to have offspring. It is the human-induced mating of a female hors=
e with a male donkey. Nature predominantly rejects cross-breeding.<BR><BR>W=
hen humans cross-breed other life forms, whether it is flora or fauna, it d=
isrupts the natural exchange of genes. Genetic mutations and natural limite=
d cross-breeding do occur, and are controlled by success or failure criteri=
a that either reward or penalize the new life form due to environmental and=
biological conditions. But when humans cross-breed life, it is then protec=
ted by humans until it can be propagated, and that then changes the inter-r=
elationships of all living forms in bio-diversity. Anything out-of-place in=
the natural scheme of things either perishes or kills other life forms unt=
il it can find its niche.<BR><BR>There is a reason why every natural featur=
e of life exists, and that is the key to survival that Charles Darwin and C=
ooke before him explained (Charles Darwin's grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, wh=
o died before Charles was born, was also an evolutionist). The natural "acc=
eptance" of change is based on successful interaction, such as, a three-leg=
ged horse would not be successful any more than a two-headed snake, althoug=
h they might survive for some time.<BR><BR>When humans interfere with natur=
al genetics that are quite successful, it disorganizes the natural success =
characteristics. In foods such as corn and wheat, which are really grasses,=
humans have found that they can make supplies for consumption by modifying=
their genetics through "bio-engineering" called "hybridization", but those=
newly created "grains" cannot be consumed by the creatures (such as small =
birds) who had once depended upon them, and the counter-action to humans is=
that grasses cause cavities and diabetes in humans!<BR><BR>Similarly, huma=
n changes to bovine cattle have resulted in cow milk being a chief nourishm=
ent for humans, but cow milk is "designed" to produce thick bones in calves=
and an infant animal's growth from a human baby size to a 500 to 1000 poun=
d animal in six months or so. It is not natural for cows to provide milk in=
cessantly year after year, as milking-cows do. Worse, ranching cattle can d=
estroy most of the ecosystem and cause erosion: though not as bad as sheep,=
as large heards they eat grass until there is no food for other animals, t=
hey trample stream banks which puts soil into the streams that kills fish, =
their meat is high in fat and cholesterol which is bad for human health, an=
d human "husbandry" has led to larger cattle than is traditional. By favori=
ng certain animals, humans have killed off other animals because they were =
considered to be "less desireable", and yet, animals have a way of "symbiot=
ically" assisting each other in ways unexpected, such as carnivores culling=
genetically weaker animals so they do not share their genes. <BR><BR>The f=
ood values to such fruit as tomatos, peaches, apples and vegetables exist b=
ecause of certain reasons. A watermellon is a great water source, but it on=
ly grows in sandy soils where there is ample water. Humans can change such =
plants to perform their life functions in ways that may take a century or m=
ore to analyze. We often do not know of the potential effects of changing t=
he genetics of anything because results take so long to witness.<BR><BR>In =
hybridization, which is how corn and wheat came from grasses, people used t=
he best of several same-genetic species to produce a different "superior" r=
esult, such as large thick kernals that grow vertically for six inches to a=
foot. Natural "corn" was but a grassy "feather" of seed barely five inches=
tall.<BR><BR>But when mixing unlike species, the entire process is to crea=
te an organism that is no longer functional according to the organism's ori=
ginal success formula. Hybrid corn uses a whole lot of water, for instance,=
much more than its original ancestor varieties. Hybridization of the potat=
o led to diseases the natural smaller potato did not suffer from, because t=
he composition of the root became more watery and susceptible to fungi due =
to its genetic changes. Plant disease can often spread to differing species=
when one plant is a host to a disease, such as the potato was.<BR><BR>Each=
organism has a biological "plan". Trying to mix an abalone with a croccodi=
le (pardon me for taking this from an actual joke out of the 1950s) to prod=
uce a "crock-a-baloney" is impossible, yet, mixing vegitable types to produ=
ce a different kind of food source can make a monster out of a plant that c=
an kill off indigenous plants (tumbleweeds have killed indigenous grasses a=
cross the west as much as cattle have) and yet, if it will not survive as a=
"partner" in the eco-system, it will rob other plants of their nutrients a=
nd moisture.<BR><BR>As to food value to humans, certain fruits and vegitabl=
es and nuts have certain nutrients we need that other fruits and vegitables=
and nuts do not provide. By mixing genetics, we have no idea if it will re=
duce the values we need, compromise the benefits or even over-produce nutri=
ents we need so that they are too potent. Toxicity is also a factor. All of=
these conditions are "unknowns" even when laboratory analysis over several=
years finds no adverse affects: it can take a century or more to really se=
e the result of cross-breeding. It is best to stick with traditional foods =
that humans developed on: nuts, fruits, vegitables, and small game animals =
that are natural to the environment.</FONT></H2>
<DIV class=3Dqa-container>
<DL class=3Danswer-rating>
<DT>Asker's Rating: <IMG alt=3D"3 out of 5" src=3D"http://l.yim=
g.com/static.answers.yahoo.com/00207/images/all/rating-3.gif">=20
<DT class=3Ddesc>Asker's Comment: Thanx. Very useful info. I wo=
uld have liked some book titles or links but I'll just google up some of th=
e key words in your answer and see where they lead. </DT></DL></DIV></DIV><=
/DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV><BR>
--=20
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