The Section on Biodiversity is the most recently established EFB Section.

Priority topics of the Section are:

• Biodiversity: Benefits and threats from GMO's
• Biodiversity: How can Biodiversity help in research?
• Biodiversity: Enhance the knowledge about soil microbiology
• Biodiversity and Population Genetics: Contribute to EFBIC - European Focus on Biotechnology in China
• Active participation in the development and outlining of research programmes on an European level (e.g. EU's 6th Framework Programme)

To read more about the Impact of Agricultural Biotechnology on Biodiversity:
Biodiversity and Agricultural Biotechnology (Review; pdf)

For further information, please contact the Chairman of the Section:

Prof. Dr. Klaus Ammann
Director Botanical Garden
University of Bern
Altenbergrain 21
CH - 3013 Bern, Switzerland
Phone +41 - 31 631 49 37
Fax +41 - 31 631 49 93
email: klaus.ammann@ips.unibe.ch

Message of Klaus Ammann, Section Chairman:

Dear Reader

This is the first message of your chair on the occasion getting the Section started.

As we all know BIODIVERSITY / BIOTECHNOLOGY is a complex discussion field - and many people are worried about the impact of biotechnology on biodiversity. But there are also many who think that biotechnology could help to enhance and biodiversity and specifically help in conservation matters. The task of this Section will be to investigate and debate the impact, whether positive or negative.

Many opinions are around on whether biotechnology has a negative impact on biodiversity - or whether it might have positive effects - or both. Since we are dealing with biology, we encounter a complex situation when it comes to evaluate the organismal arguments. In addition is not only about organismal biodiversity, but also about ecology, about the intricate food web to give an example. And if we broaden the term biodiversity even more, we will also have to deal with IPR issues, with socio-economic impacts and cultural aspects. This is exactly where we will also make sure that the EFB as a network with all its various sections will come into place and action.

We will be able to do this with specialist meetings, with interdisciplinary seminars, hopefully also with specific transdisciplinary projects by initiating new contacts to other groups and organisations. In order to establish a working programme, we should open herewith an email debate.

Proposed priority topics of the Section:

• Biodiversity: Benefits and threats from GMO's in general
• Link closely to the EFB Task Group on Safety in Biotechnology, and where appropriate, collaborate
• Biodiversity: How could biotechnology help in conservation ?
• Biodiversity: How can Biodiversity help in molecular research?
• Biodiversity: Enhance the knowledge about microbial soil biodiversity
• Biodiversity and Population Genetics: Contribute to research programmes, conferences etc.
• EFBIC - European Focus on Biotechnology in China
• Organise and participate in Biotech and Biodiversity Meetings, Workshops, Conferences, e.g.
  ECB11, Basel 24.-29.8.2003
  BioVision, Lyon 8.-11.4.2003
  for more information go to: list of EFB events
  
• Active participation in the development and outlining of research programmes on an European level
  e.g. in EU's 6th Framework Programme
  see also our Expression of Interest and www.biocase.org

I want to introduce also a text, which could serve a a basic introduction to our topics:

Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems. EOLSS Publishers, Oxford. 2002.
BIODIVERSITY: THE IMPACT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
written by Richard Braun and Klaus Ammann

I hope this (and more so another, enlarged text to come) will be the basis of our future discussions about the topic. Please feel free to give input, whether positive or negative.

Here also some more information about the Section on Biodiversity, which already can count on 170 members, which is a great start for a new Section coming only now into existence:

Interim Board of the Section on Biodiversity

A shorter basic text on Biodiversity and Biotechnology
written by Richard Braun and David Bennett for EFB

and finally a PROPOSAL for the participation in DEBATE: Bern Debates

I run since now 6 years as a solo-moderator a listserver with the aim to circulate weekly a few messages on biotechnology, with a focus on biosafety and benefits, always related to biodiversity. It is globally well introduced as 'Debate'. I send it out to about 2000 addresses and many more distribution networks, which adds up to more than 30'000 readers estimated.
It is now also linked automatically to www.bioscope.org, a website which will continue to produce edited pieces, enhance the built in knowledge databese and acts as a forum and newsletter source and which will in future collaborate with UNIDO. The website also contains a second database of experts, who are willing to answer questions which will not fit into the knowledge database.

I know, that many of you participate already, the others will receive the 'Debates' as a trial - and I apologize to those who do not want to get the sendings (1-5 per week), they can just write to me without formalities and will be removed from the list.

I expect answers, feedbacks, proposals until Friday March 7,
and I will circulate all mentions.

I hope to get a lifely discussion on the future topics of EFB Section Biodiversity

With my best personal regards,

Klaus Ammann
klaus.ammann@ips.unibe.ch

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