Question

Artificial selection is the process by which a. natural selection fails to act in wild populations. b. humans prevent natural selection. c. humans allow only organisms with specific characteristics to breed. d. humans cause genetic drift in domesticated populations.

Short answer

c. humans allow only organisms with specific characteristics to breed.

Step-by-step solution

- Read the question carefully

Understand what the question is asking: What is the process of artificial selection?

- Review each option

Examine each provided option (a, b, c, d) to determine which correctly describes artificial selection.

- Eliminate incorrect options

Option a suggests artificial selection is about natural selection failing, which is incorrect. Option b implies humans prevent natural selection altogether, which is not true. Option d addresses genetic drift, which is not what artificial selection is about.

- Identify the correct option

Option c states that humans allow only organisms with specific characteristics to breed. This accurately describes artificial selection, where humans intentionally select specific traits for breeding.

Key concepts

natural selection

Natural selection is a fundamental mechanism of evolution, introduced by Charles Darwin. Unlike artificial selection, which is driven by human choices, natural selection operates without any intentional interference. It is the process by which organisms with traits that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. As these favorable traits are passed down to subsequent generations, they become more common in the population.

Key points about natural selection:

• It's an automatic process, based on environmental pressures
• It can lead to adaptation and increased survival
• It results in the evolution of organisms over many generations

Think of it as nature's way of 'selecting' the best traits through survival and reproduction.

For example, in a cold environment, animals with thicker fur may survive better and have more offspring. Thus, the gene for thick fur becomes more common over time.

genetic drift

Genetic drift is another mechanism of evolution, which operates quite differently from natural selection. Unlike natural selection, which is deterministic and depends on an organism’s fitness, genetic drift is a random process.

It results in changes in the frequency of alleles (variations of a gene) in a population due to random chance. This means that sometimes, traits can become more or less common in a population not because they offer any advantage, but purely due to luck.

Key points about genetic drift:

• It’s a random, non-selective process
• It has a larger effect in small populations
• It can lead to a loss of genetic variation

For instance, if a natural disaster randomly kills a large portion of a population, the gene frequencies of the survivors may be very different from the original population purely by chance.

Over time, genetic drift can result in significant changes in the genetic makeup of a population, especially in isolated or small groups.

selective breeding

Selective breeding, also known as artificial selection, is a process where humans intentionally choose which plants or animals to breed in order to produce specific traits. It’s a powerful tool used in agriculture, pet breeding, and scientific research.

Unlike natural selection, which occurs without human intervention, selective breeding involves humans making deliberate choices about which traits are desirable.

Key points about selective breeding:

• It’s an intentional process, driven by human choices
• It can produce rapid changes in organisms
• It can be used to enhance desirable traits or eliminate undesirable ones

For example, farmers might breed cows that produce more milk or breed plants that yield bigger fruits. Over generations, these traits become more pronounced in the population.

One famous example is the domestication of dogs, where humans bred wolves for traits like tameness and companionship, leading to the wide variety of dog breeds we have today.