In the reading material, it mainly talks about the benefits of planting genetically modified trees. However, in the lecture the professor is skeptical about these statements.
First of all, the reading claims that genetically modified trees are easier to survive than the natural ones since they are often designed resistant. While the professor argues that though genetically modified trees are resistant to some condition, it doesn't equal to greater possibility to survive. In fact, since the unmodified trees are have diverse genes so when they face some challenges even if most trees are died, there may be a few to survive. Nevertheless, the genetically modified tree are generally uniform in genes so when they encounter some difficulties like the climate or new pest disaster that they couldn't resist, all of them may die.
On top of that, the reading displays that the genetically modified trees can increase profits to farmers due to the faster and greater return on their investment have lower cost of pesticides. Meanwhile the professor asserts that there are causes of genetically modified trees that the reading ignored. The cost of genetically modified trees are much greater than their unmodified counterparts. They couldn't collect the seeds for free like the unmodified ones and thus they have to pay the cost to the company every time they plant them so the profits may be lower.
In addition, the reading states that the planting genetically modified trees can be beneficial for wild trees since people can cut the genetically modified trees instead. However, the professor asserts that genetically modified trees are even harmful to some degree. Genetically modified trees are often growing aggressively and they often live among the natural trees. Under such condition, they may crowd the natural ones compete with them for resources like the water and sunlight.