What is selective breeding?
Selective breeding is when humans choose which plants or animals are going to breed
It develops features that are useful or attractive.
What are some features that can be developed through selective breeding?
- Animals that produce more meat or milk
- Crops with disease resistance
- Dogs with a good, gentle personality
- Decorative plants with big or unusual flowers
These features are selected based on human preferences.
What is the basic process of selective breeding?
- Select existing plants or animals with desired traits
- Breed them with each other
- Select the best offspring and breed them together
- Continue this process over several generations
Eventually, all offspring will have the desired feature.
How long have humans been practicing selective breeding?
For thousands of years
It is a practice that has historical significance in agriculture and animal husbandry.
What is another term for selective breeding?
Artificial selection
This term highlights the human intervention in the breeding process.
What is a disadvantage of selective breeding?
It reduces the number of different alleles in a population
This can lead to health problems in selectively bred organisms.
What does inbreeding refer to in the context of selective breeding?
Inbreeding is when closely related animals or plants are used for breeding
It increases the chances of inheriting harmful genetic defects.
What can happen if a new disease appears in a selectively bred population?
There is a higher chance that the population will be affected by the disease
This is due to reduced genetic diversity.
Fill in the blank: Selective breeding can lead to _______ problems caused by their genes.
health
Selective breeding can inadvertently promote genetic defects.
How can selective breeding affect a population’s resistance to diseases?
It makes it less likely that individuals will have alleles that confer resistance
This results in increased vulnerability to diseases.
What is genetic variation in the context of selective breeding?
Genetic variation refers to the differences in traits among individuals in a population
It is essential for the selective breeding process.
How might a farmer selectively breed cattle for higher meat yield?
- Select the largest cows and bulls
- Breed them together
- Select the largest offspring and breed them together
This process is repeated over several generations.
True or False: Selective breeding can create new breeds of dogs.
True
Different dog breeds have emerged from selective breeding practices.
Explain how you could selectively breed for floppy ears in rabbits.
Select rabbits with floppy ears, breed them, and continue selecting offspring with floppy ears over generations
This process involves careful selection to achieve the desired trait.
