This article is a short review of information about horizontal gene transfer, also called cross-species gene transfer, found on the internet and a discussion of the effect on the wild-type gene pool. It is known for about 20 years now that bacteria and viruses have the capability of inserting foreign DNA in other species cells. This cross-species gene transfer was formerly part of the mechanisms of natural evolution. But since the era of genetic engineering this mechanism is also used for spreading manipulated genes. Sometimes transgenic organisms escape from laboratories or from Biotechnological industries, but most of time they are let loose in the wild, like genetically manipulated crops or ranches with transgenic animals. They also make use of cross species gene transfer. This will result in pollution of the wild-type gene pool, leading to a change or loss of or last biodiversity. A hypothesis is launched that also the genomes of cells of the reproductive system of plants and animals can get genetically infected, like pollen, sperm and ova cells, just as is demonstrated for other parts of organisms, leading also to vertical gene transfer of foreign DNA, finally resulting in altering the genetics of all members of a species. This could also lead to losing parts of the wild-type gene pool. Because I am not anti-Biotechnology per se and also because, according to Greek Mythology, the Hope For A Better World remained in the box of Pandora after it was opened, I plea in this article for healthy Biotechnological, Scientific and Commercial endeavours with restrictions:

1) All biowaste from Biotechnological industries and laboratories should be incinerated or irradiated.

2) All transgenic plants should only be kept in greenhouses under quarantine conditions.

3) All transgenic life stock should be kept in a stable under quarantine conditions.

4) All biowaste from transgenic plant or animal farms should be incinerated or irradiated.

5) No products derived by means of genetic manipulation should be used anywhere in the food chain. As an alternative GM foods could be irradiated. But this is a bit controversial because of the radiolytic products formed.

6) Non-food products like medicines and polymers from genetic manipulation should certainly be irradiated to kill all active genetic germs.

These measures should be in effect until the time that Biotechnology has evolved so far that all the genomes that make up the wild-type gene pool have been collected and mapped in computer databases, and that mankind is capable of reconstructing wildlife from genomic databases. These measures are also in the best interests of Science who always will want to study how natural evolution tackled certain problems. Biotechnology should be more a fundamental Science and less a commercial enterprise!

Since the era of Biotechnology evolution has come to a new level. You could also say that evolution has created a species that can control the course of evolution by manipulating genes in the laboratory. This could also lead to the end of the Darwinistic “Survival of the Fittest” because a perfect fit of every organism could be artificially made for each environment. Is this the by natures laws intended end goal of evolution? I think not! The natural “Survival of the Fittest” mechanism will always outsmart scientists, because there is no laboratory as big as our planet. Although Biotechnologists are already interfering with natural evolution, on a large scale but it will even grow in the future if Biotechnology can go on unlimited, as I will make clear in this article. This accelerated and manipulated evolution can backfire on mankind!

This paper is a literature survey and a stimulus for more research on the topic of leaf damage observed during carbon dioxide enrichment of greenhouse plants. The theories in this paper have consequences for the biodiversity and agriculture on our planet. Because some plants might show severe leaf damage above carbon dioxide concentrations of 700 ppm! A concentration to be exceeded in the atmosphere by our 'hydrocarbon society', which is using fossil fuels for energy production, in eighty years from now. This might seriously derail the flora and agriculture.
Beside the fact that elevated carbon dioxide might cause for instance chlorosis and necrosis, the exponents of leaf damage, in some plants. It certainly affects the opening or closure of the stomata, starch content of the leaves and photosynthesis rate of all plants. Because of this some plants will show growth acceleration and some growth retardation. The most favoured ones will overgrow the rest, thus affecting the biodiversity in the flora through the mechanisms of eutrophication and selective parasitic injuries. The last mechanism will occur because of the higher sugar and starch content of the leaves.
The agriculture might be affected because many of the carbon dioxide damage sensitive plants are nutritious crops, essential for the food production, especially in the third world. Since the industrialised world can afford to genetically engineer these plants and bring them to even higher yields. But will the poor third world be able to buy the expensive seeds?
The complex role of ethylene is discussed. A contaminant of the used carbon dioxide sources in experiments whereby leaf damage is observed. It is a plant hormone, which can also cause the main leaf damage symptoms chlorosis and necrosis. So questions remain: Is the factor causing leaf damage ethylene, carbon dioxide or perhaps both? Experiments to answer these questions are described in this paper. Hypothetically it is possible that ethylene is an exogenous and/or endogenous factor for leaf damage, whereby the biochemical production of it in plants is triggered by elevated carbon dioxide.

Editorial (first blog) celebrating the 10th anniversary with the launch of this new website with blogging functionality.