SICILY AS THEORETICAL MODEL TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTS IN A HOTSPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY

Abstract

In Europe, especially in Italy, different considerations are necessary when potential GMPs are to be grown. In particular high biodiversity areas such as Sicily should have a more detail plans of potential benefits and risks assuring the conservation of biodiversity and endemic species. Sicily is one of the most relevant biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean area, with a vascular flora of 3252 species and 321 endemic taxa. Considering the latest IUCN categories and criteria, 401 taxa (12.4% of Sicilian flora) are under threat (categories “CR”, “EN”, “VU”), and 220 more taxa (6.8%) are “Near Threatened”. Sicily is also known to have a rich butterfly and coleopteran fauna including endemic and rare species . Agricultural systems, 66% of the area, mainly cereal crops (40%) olive groves (7%), vineyard (6%), citrus groves (5%) and orchards (2%). 25% of these are within the Natura 2000 Network sites. Semi-natural systems account for about 21% of the area. The genusBrassica, Cichorium, Dianthus, Medicago, Prunus e Trifolium have a higher number of rare, endemic species, some of which have a high risk of extinction. Moreover, cultivated trees, as Prunus, have rich heritage of some hundreds ethno-varieties, results of centuries of selection practices of farmers. Sicilian territory will likely continue to have among its characteristics an entirely agricultural vocation, with a greater extension of organic agriculture, even in the presence of forms of integration with other sectors such as tourism and protection. For the above reasons  Sicily was chosen as a pilot area to study the potential impact of PGMs on biodiversity. Model is based on the potential GMPs, their, traits, areas grown, potential gene flows, distance from natural areas. Moreover an ecological approach for selection of non-target Lepidoptera species for ecological risk assessment of PGMs in Sicily, using data collected over a 3-year period, is reported.