Farm Fox Experiment

Question 1

Domestication Defined

Answer 1

When a wild-type animal incurs changes that ultimately benefits humans

Question 2

Dmitry Belyaev’s Experimental Goals in Farm Fox

Answer 2

Studied the process of domestication. Noticed that domestication is accompanied by changes in morphology, physiology, and behavior that are common across species. Wanted to know where these changes came from and why they’re similar.
Goal: witness evolution, perform high-speed domestication.

Question 3

Experimental Outcomes Regarding Morphology-Physiology-Behavior

Answer 3

Physiological: window of bonding with humans opened earlier, stayed open longer. Development of “fear response” (corticosteroids) was delayed.
Phenotype: floppy ear, rolled/stunted tails. coat color changes. Shorter legs/tails, underbites. Crania became domes, feminized
When selecting for tameness, actually selecting for regulatory gene that orchestrates many other things too.