Selective breeding 4.6.2.3

Question 1

What is meant by the term artificial selection process?

Answer 1

the process by which humans breed plants and animals for particular genetic characteristics

Question 2

Describe selective breeding in dairy cattle

Answer 2

-Female with high milk yield + male whose mother has a high milk yield, breed them together, select offspring with highest milk yield and breed together.

Question 3

What is the process of selective breeding?

Answer 3

1. Humans choose parents that have desired characteristics from a mixed population.
2. They are bred together.
3. From the offspring, those with desired characteristics are then bred together.
4. This continues over many generations until all the offspring show the desired characteristics.

Question 4

What are the problems with selective breeding?

Answer 4

• Can cause health problems. Certain traits may be exaggerated.
• Reduces genetic diversity/reduced gene pool
  
  • more susceptible to genetic disease
  • potentially useful alleles for the future are lost

Question 5

What are the ethics of selective breeding?

Answer 5

• Domesticated animals more docile - less able to defend themselves, easy, prey.
• Inbreeding - more susceptible to disease.
• Livestock animals more lean - less fat so in colder weather need to be housed.
• Colour of coats - loss of camouflage.