artificial selection Flashcards
what is artificial selction
Artificial selection occurs when humans increase the breeding and reproduction of organisms that have desirable traits.
what is the difference between artificial and natural selction
natural selection increases adaptive traits, artificial selection increases desirable traits in future generations
what are the two types of selective breeding
inbreeding and cross breeding
what is cross breeding
Cross-breeding is the process of breeding an individual with a particular, desirable trait with an individual with a different desirable trait.
This results in the offspring containing desirable traits from both parents.
what is inbreeding
In this process, related individuals are allowed to mate.
This method is not often used in animal breeding, as there can be health issues in the offspring such as deformities, sterility, and genetic diseases.
In plant breeding, there do not seem to be as many problems with breeding closely related plants.
what are some benefits of selective breeding
New varieties may be economically important, by producing more or better quality food.
Animals can be selected for desirable physical traits or behaviours. e.g. cattle without horns to reduce harm.
It can also increase disease resistance and longevity of organisms.
what are some risks of selective breeding
Reduced genetic variation can lead to reduced ability to fight disease, which could be extremely destructive.
Rare disease genes can be unknowingly selected as part of a positive trait, leading to problems with specific organisms, e.g. a high percentage of Dalmatian dogs are deaf.
Can create physical problems in specific organisms, e.g. large dogs can have faulty hips due to not being formed correctly.
