An official website of the United States government
Abstract The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a dominant, foundational forest canopy tree in eastern North America until an imported chestnut blight (caused byCryphonectria parasitica) rendered it functionally extinct across its native range. Biotechnological approaches have the potential to help restore the species, but field-based breeding advances are hampered by long generation times, ≤50% transgene inheritance, and regulatory restrictions on outdoor breeding of transgenic trees. Self-incompatibility and flowering phenology further limit generational advances and field testing of chestnuts. Our work here demonstrates that long generational times and field constraints can be circumvented by producing both male and receptive female flowers in controlled indoor environments. Additionally, we developed an embryo rescue protocol for both indoor and field conditions, in which developing embryos can be extracted and micropropagated from immature seeds between 6- and 8-weeks post pollination. These advances have enabled production of the first homozygous transgenic American chestnuts, which have produced pollen that was used for outdoor controlled pollinations and yielded nearly 100% transgene inheritance by offspring. This work also provides event-specific DNA markers to differentiate transgenic chestnut lines and identify homozygous individuals. We demonstrate that an obligate outcrossing forest tree can reach sexual maturity rapidly in controlled, indoor environments. When coupled with genomic analyses and other biotechnological advances, this procedure could facilitate the reintroduction of this iconic species.
more »
« less
The politics of genetic technoscience for conservation: The case of blight-resistant American chestnut
Innovations in genetics and genomics have been heavily critiqued as technologies that have widely supported the privatization and commodification of natural resources. However, emerging applications of these tools to ecological restoration challenge narratives that cast genetic technoscience as inevitably enrolled in the enactment and extension of neoliberal capitalism. In this paper, we draw on Langdon Winner’s theory of technological politics to suggest that the context in which genetic technologies are developed and deployed matters for their political outcomes. We describe how genetic approaches to the restoration of functionally extinct American chestnut trees—by non-profit organizations, for the restoration of a wild, heritage forest species, and with unconventional intellectual property protections—are challenging precedents in the political economy of plant biotechnology. Through participant observation, interviews with scientists, and historical analysis, we employ the theoretical lens provided by Karl Polanyi’s double movement to describe how the anticipations and agency of the developers of blight-resistant American chestnut trees, combined with chestnut biology and the context of restoration, have thus far resisted key forms of the genetic privatization and commodification of chestnut germplasm. Still, the politics of blight-resistant American chestnut remain incomplete and undetermined; we thus call upon scholars to use the uneven and socially constructed character of both technologies and neoliberalism to help shape this and other applications of genetic technoscience for conservation.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1632670
- PAR ID:
- 10284809
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space
- ISSN:
- 2514-8486
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 251484862110249
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Given the scale and speed of contemporary environmental changes, intensive conservation interventions are increasingly being proposed that would assist the evolution of adaptive traits in threatened species. The ambition of these projects is tempered by a number of concerns, including the potential maladaptation of manipulated organisms for contemporary and future climatic conditions in their historical ranges. Following the guidelines of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, we use a species distribution model (SDM) to consider the potential impact of climate change on the distribution and quantity of suitable habitat for American chestnut (Castanea dentata), a functionally extinct forest species that has been the focus of various restoration efforts for over 100 years. Consistent with other SDMs for North American trees, our model shows contraction of climatically suitable habitat for American chestnut within the species’ historical range and the expansion of climatically suitable habitat in regions to the north of it by 2080. These broad changes have significant implications for restoration practice. In particular, they highlight the importance of germplasm conservation, local adaptation, and addressing knowledge gaps about the interspecific interactions of American chestnut. More generally, this model demonstrates that the goals of assisted evolution projects, which often aim to maintain species in their native ranges, need to account for the uncertainty and novelty of future environmental conditions.more » « less
-
My research asks the following questions: What are the ramifications of male dominance in positions of power? Do they adequately address the concerns of women constituents? How do electoral quotas influence the trajectory of political careers for underrepresented groups? Which subgroups derive the greatest benefits from quota implementation? How do voters respond to the introduction of quotas, and what factors shape their reactions? I theorize and offer causal evidence on the consequences of inequitable political representation and the role of quotas in remedying disparities in political inequality. Through a combination of observational and experimental data spanning various levels ranging from legislatures to voters, my research examines quotas (or lack thereof) from multiple perspectives using a range of methodological approaches. My research demonstrates that while there is a risk of neglecting policy issues faced by underrepresented groups in legislative spaces, indicating the need for institutionalizing quotas, quotas can have asymmetric effects on citizens’ political behavior. Quotas can bridge gaps in political participation by demobilizing dominant groups while simultaneously mobilizing underrepresented groups. However, their repercussions extend beyond the realm of politics and have implications for intergroup relations. Thus, my research highlights the nuances of political representation and examines the effects of quotas on governance structures and political behavior. My dissertation comprises three distinct yet interconnected empirical chapters, all situated within the context of India. Overall, this dissertation offers lessons not only for those interested in Indian politics but also for everyone seeking to understand the role of quotas in addressing political inequality.more » « less
-
Abstract This paper asserts that critiques of political science for neglecting Indigenous politics highlight a critical gap that risks overlooking significant conceptual and practical innovations. It emphasizes how Indigenous autonomy claims challenge traditional notions of sovereignty. Scholars of Indigenous politics in Latin America, publishing in area studies journals, provide essential insights into these autonomy claims and contribute valuable perspectives to the discipline. We identify rigorous scholarly work in English language, peer-reviewed journals exploring Indigenous autonomy, conceptualizing it as a multifaceted notion that encompasses political visions, practices, and social movement agendas. Through a comprehensive meta-analysis of literature in Latin American area studies, we argue that this field offers four fundamental insights. First, Indigenous peoples deploy diverse strategies to assert their rights, positioning themselves as active citizens and political agents rather than passive groups. Second, the emergence of multicultural institutions that integrate individual and collective rights is fundamentally reshaping politics and citizenship, leading to innovative governance structures. Third, accumulation by dispossession remains a crucial driver of wealth creation, severely undermining Indigenous autonomy and degrading their environments. Finally, a renewed emphasis on Indigenous territorial autonomy decisively challenges conventional views of state sovereignty, as Indigenous peoples assert territorial and nonterritorial rights.more » « less
-
Abstract Increasing resource scarcity and what has been called “the end of cheap nature” are prompting policymakers and scholars to foster more circular economies to reduce waste and lengthen the lifespan of material goods. Our essay critically examines the political and economic relationships between urban and rural geographies in the context of secondhand economies. Practices of bartering, swapping, selling, and repairing used goods have long been important to rural people and places, but the increasing commodification of discards risks upending rural livelihoods and ways of being as goods move toward urban centers. We explore the relationship between rural and urban reuse economies and suggest how future scholars of rural North America might contribute to strengthening and supporting localized reuse practices.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1177/25148486211024910
