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Testing the Unintended Consequences of Lignin Reduction in Genetically Modified Trees on Trophic Interactions

Executive Summary: Genetically modified trees with reduced lignin composition have been proposed as a geoengineering scheme that could potentially reduce environmental impact from chemically harsh pulping practices within the paper industry. Lignin is the complex chemical compound that gives trees their protection against climate, disease, and animal activity. However, the presence of lignin in wood demands the use of toxic chemicals in pulping and paper mills, which constitute sa health hazard to mill workers as well as the natural environment. Decreasing the amounts of lignin in trees raised specifically for the paper industry should result in increased productivity in paper-making and lessen the need for harsh chemicals. Although lignin reduction is a potential method to maximize efficiency and minimize the environmental footprint of the paper industry, it may have unintended consequences upon the environment. Potential side effects associated with lignin reduction include decreased fitness of the transformed trees, transgene escape, and changes in herbivorous insect populations. These are significant because they may endanger the wellbeing of other species and the entire ecosystem. The proposed experiment calls for a long-term field trial that will study and quantify the effect of lignin reduction on trophic interactions in the surrounding environment. Specifically, the field trial will genetically transform Populus tremuloides, or trembling aspen, a species that is commonly used for papermaking, and observe the populations of associated insect herbivores and non-herbivores. The anticipated results of this field trial are that there will be little to no effect on trophic interactions. Although the experiment will not capture the impact of lignin reduction on an entire ecosystem, the results of the field trial should deepen our understanding of how the effects of such a genetic modification permeate through different trophic levels. Ever since the Chinese developed the first papermaking process in the 2 nd century CE, paper has been one of the largest and most widespread commodities across the globe. The eventual mechanized production of paper through the printing press in the early 19 th century drove up the demand for newsprint and books since paper became relatively cheap and easy to produce. The increase in international demand for paper has consequently led to the chemical pollution of aquatic environments by paper mills as well as deforestation. Before wood is made into paper, it undergoes the pulping process. The breakdown of lignin, the complex chemical compound that gives trees their protection against climate, pathogens, and …