FYI
Can. J. Fish. Aquat.
Sci./J. Can. Sci. Halieutiques Aquat. 58(5):
841-844 (2001) Invasion of
transgenes from salmon or other
genetically modified organisms into natural
populations Philip W. Hedrick.
Abstract: In recent years, there has been widespread concern
about
the ecological and genetic effects of genetically modified organisms.
In
salmon and other fishes, transgenic growth hormone genes have
been
shown to have large effects on size and various traits related to
fitness. In
this paper, I have shown by using a deterministic model
that if such a
transgene has a male-mating advantage and a general
viability disadvantage,
then the conditions for its invasion in a
natural population are very broad.
More specifically, for 66.7% of the
possible combinations of the possible
mating and viability
parameters, the transgene increases in frequency, and
for 50% of the
combinations, it goes to fixation. In addition, by this
increase in the frequency of
the transgene, the viability of the natural
population is reduced,
increasing the probability of extinction of the
natural population.
These findings provide independent confirmation of
previous
concerns about the inherent risks of transgenic organisms,
especially for
native salmon populations potentially affected by commercial
salmon production using transgenic stocks.
