Artificial Selection

Understanding Artificial Selection

• Artificial selection is a process in which humans actively choose specific traits that they deem desirable, thereby affecting the evolution of a species.
• This concept is also known as selective breeding or domestication.
• Artificial selection can lead to significant changes in the physical characteristics or behaviours of a species over a relatively short period of time.
• It is a powerful tool for creating new breeds or varieties within a species, for instance, in domestic dogs or cultivated plants.

Process of Artificial Selection

• The process begins with the identification of a desired trait within a population.
• Individuals showing the desired traits are selected to breed, while others are not allowed to reproduce.
• Offspring produced through this breeding process are then examined for the presence of the desired traits.
• Those showing the traits are selected for further breeding. This selection-breeding cycle continues until the trait becomes a common feature of the population.

Impact on Species

• Artificial selection can lead to extreme modification of traits.
• It has been a major contributing factor in the development of a wide range of domesticated animals and cultivated plants, fundamentally altering their ancestors’ original characteristics.
• An example of this is the vast diversity seen in domestic dogs, which all stem from the same ancestor, the wild grey wolf.
• It can, however, also result in negative impacts, such as reduced genetic diversity and an increased risk of genetic diseases.

Differences from Natural Selection

• In contrast to natural selection, which is driven by the pressures of the natural environment, artificial selection is guided by human choice.
• Natural selection favours traits that give organisms an advantage in survival and reproduction, while artificial selection favours traits deemed desirable by humans, irrespective of their impact on survival.