Agricultural Innovations (College Board AP® Human Geography)

Biotechnology in agriculture is the use of scientific methods, including genetically engineered crops, to modify and improve plant and livestock production

Examples of agricultural biotechnology include:

• pesticide-resistant crops

• genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

• biofuels

Biotechnologies possess benefits, such as:

• increasing crop yields

• producing plants resistant to drought and certain pests

People often express concerns about the potential long-term effects of biotechnologies, particularly GMOs, on human health and the environment

Genetically modified organisms are plants or animals whose DNA has been altered for specific traits, such as pest/disease resistance or high-yield crops

GMOs can be beneficial because they increase production levels and raise levels of food security

GMOs are criticized for the loss of biodiversity that results from reliance on a single genetic strand of crops, as well as for the fear of potential poor long-term effects on human health

Aquaculture refers to the raising of fish and shellfish in ponds and controlled saltwater hatcheries for consumption

Aquaculture has increased as fish populations in the wild have decreased due to overfishing

• Aquaculture reduces the pressure on wild fish populations while still providing a protein-rich food source

Aquaculture operations are criticized because pollution from fish farms spreads to the local water supply, and diseases might easily spread from captive to wild fish populations decreasing the native fish population