Section 2.2: Impact of Biotechnology and Biofuels on the EnvironmentSoil HealthBiotechnology is not a source of energy but its processes can be used to produce biofuels (Demirbas, 2009). Biofuels promise a better source of sustainable and renewable energy, but this issue is debatable (Jose et.al, 2008). Soil is part of a complete ecosystem as it provides a habitat for certain organisms, which is why its importance cannot be overstated. Marginal land can be considered poor quality land with low agricultural value. Most crops used for biofuel production are grown on marginal lands because they require fewer nutrients, which prevents the use of land with good soil quality (Lian and Ghazoul, 2008). Farmers allow the nutrient-rich parts of the plant to decompose in the soil, which helps maintain good soil quality (Jose et.al, 2008). In the process of producing biofuels using plants, rich and high-quality land will be overused as soybeans and corn require fertile land to grow. Indeed, plants must be produced on a large scale to obtain a better yield. Soil erosion can occur due to complete harvesting of crops (Jose et.al, 2008). Corn, one of the plants used to produce biofuels, requires intense irrigation and the use of fertilizers and pesticides raises serious environmental concerns. Biotechnology can be used to modify crops so that their production does not harm the environment, but this could slow down the process (Demirbas, 2009). Biodiversity and tropical forests Some biofuels derived from agricultural, forestry and municipal waste have less impact on biodiversity because they use unwanted waste (Lian and Ghazoul, 2008). Biotechnology has a lot of potential... middle of paper ... like skin cancer (Giampietro and Mayumi.2009). Increase in fuel prices leads to increase in food prices, so if there is a large amount of fuel, food prices will be affordable even for people in developing countries, then this will lead to a decrease in the poverty level (Giampeatro and Mayumi. 2009). Negative impacts Use Biofuels play an important role worldwide, but the consequences of their use also cause problems in societies (Giampietro and Mayumi, 2009). In most developing countries, a large portion of the population works in manufacturing industries, so the use of machinery leads to reduced employment opportunities (Giampietro and Mayumi). Furthermore, the use of plants in the production of biofuels will lead to a reduction in biodiversity, as the specific plants used in their production will lead to a decrease due to intensive cultivation..