Explain Evidence of coverage of Ecology
Evidence of coverage of Ecology and Evolution to the level of Descriptor 2 and an evaluation or discussion that shows depth of understanding of the biological concepts and processes involved, through ideas such as:
- Recognises that release into the farm environment has different ecological and evolutionary implications from release (escape) into natural environment.
- loss of biodiversity through loss of local species / localised extinctions caused by GM crops able to out compete local plants when growing in the natural environment (this is not the same as losing part of the food web because of IRC reducing insect numbers)
- Reduction in genetic diversity - GM crops continue modern agriculture trend of reducing genetic diversity of planted crops (NB selective breeding has been reducing genetic diversity for centuries.)