The biosphere, at levels from the landscape to the genome, is increasingly a product of human activity. At a landscape level, islands and mainland regions are affected by agriculture, resource extraction, human settlement, pollution, and invasive species transported by humans. Few biological communities can be found that do not reflect human predation, management, or consumption. At the organism level, species are being genetically engineered by humans to increase agricultural yields; reduce pesticide consumption; reduce demand for land for agriculture; enable plant growth under saline conditions and thereby conserve fresh water resources; produce new drugs; reduce disease; and support a healthier human diet. At the genomic level, the human genome has been mapped, as has that of selected bacteria, yeast, plants, and other mammals.

Moreover too little of the discussion about the potential effects of advancements in cutting-edge fields, such as...