Domestication Flashcards
How is domestication multi-faceted?
It has a cultural process and a biological process.
How does biological domestication work?
A form of genetic selection
The parent animal (first one domesticated) becomes isolated from the wild population.
This results in genetic drift from wild ancestors.
What two kinds of genetic drift from wild ancestors can there be in biological domestication?
Active or passive!
Describe active genetic drift in biological domestication.
Active: Humans select for things to change them biologically and genetically in a specific way.
Describe passive genetic drift in biological domestication?
Things may just move in the proper direction to cause it naturally. May be completely random.
Describe the cultural aspect of domestication.
Changes in how the animal becomes included in the social structures of human societies.
What role does the animal play in its interaction with humans.
What animal is a good example of a lot of cultural domestication with little biological domestication?
Horses! What we use horses for has changed a lot time, but they have not changed much at all biologically.
What kind of relationship is domestication?
A symbiotic relationship.
Domestication is more of a _____. _____ over _____
Process! Change over time.
Define symbiosis.
All conditions of permanent living together of two different species.
True or false: symbosis is positive for both parties.
False! It can be, but generally one gains more or less from the relationship.
What are symbiotic relationships also called?
Guest/host interactions
In a symbiotic relationship, who is the guest?
The subordinate partner.
In a symbiotic relationship, who is the host?
The dominant partner.
True or false? The guest and host roles relate to who benefits the most.
No! Doesn’t mean that either gains more or less from the relationship. It just basically means which does more work or has more interaction.
What is perfect symbiosis? Some qualities of it?
Occurs when both partners derive equal benefits.
Without domination by one of the partners.
Both are equal and there is no subordinate or dominant partner.
This is very very rare. Some argue that it doesn’t even exist.
What are the two categories of symbosis?
Host initiated and guest initiated.
Describe host initiated symbiotic relationships.
The dominate partner initiates the relationship.
What are the three host-initiated symbiotic relationships in order of most mutual to least.
Feeding, Taming, Domestication.
Describe guest-initiated symbiotic relationships.
The subordinate partner initiates the relationship.
What are the three guest-initiated symbiotic relationships in order of most mutual to least.
Scavenging, robbing, social parasitism.
Where does domestication fall on the domestication scale?
Host initiated. HEAVILY skewed to the hosts’ benefit.
What is the common misconception of domestication?
That humans and animals get an equal benefit. Not true! humans/the host, gets a lot more out of the partnership.
What is the difference between taming and domestication?
In domestication, they are much more integrated into our life. We interact with them on a near daily basis.