[Taxacom] Taxonomy and GMOs

[dipteryx at freeler.nl]

Van: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu namens Kenneth Kinman
Verzonden: za 7-11-2009 5:04

> Dear All,
>      I can see recognizing many polyploids as good species (separate
> from their paraphyletic mother species), but I don't think most GMOs
> are comparable, and only involve the addition of one or a few single 
> genes. That a GMO would become reproductively isolated from the
> parental species seems comparatively unlikely.  In fact, isn't it 
> the likelihood that they would interbreed with the natural parental
> species (with unintended consequences) which make GMOs so
> controversial?  
>      Therefore I would call them cultivars which could be potentially
> dangerous because they are actually unlikely to become reproductively
> isolated and need considerable intervention to prevent interbreeding
> with the parental species.  In some cases, it could become a game of
> genetic Russian roulette, and once an ill-conceived GMO experiment
> spreads into natural populations of the parent, it may become
> impossible to put that genie back into the bottle.  Calling a GMO a
> separate species therefore seems like wishful thinking that would 
> make them potentially more dangerous if it lulls people into thinking
> that they won't interbreed with natural parental populations.

***
That looks to be the wrong tack to take. GMO's exist in a wide range
of forms, and there is nothing to contra-indicate that in future an 
even wider range could not be created. Perhaps at some time in the
future there will be a Code of nomenclature particular to GMO's, 
although I don't really expect one to arise. For the moment there 
is a wide range of options to name GMO's. A one-size-fits-all
approach is just silly.

At present it is possible for a GMO to get a cultivar name, but I
expect that in practice only a minority of GMO's would actually be 
named this way. I would rather expect many to get a name protected
under the International Convention for the Protection of New 
Varieties of Plants (http://www.upov.org/index_en.html) or the like.
However, basically nothing prevents a GMO from getting a species 
name. There is no inherent reason why a reproductively isolated GMO
could not be created, if not now, then at some time in the future. 
Certainly there is no requirement in the ICBN that a species must 
have arisen naturally (quite a few well-known species were bred). 
Also, under the ICBN there are many more options for names, depending 
on the position the author wants to take. 

Take it case by case.

Paul