ARTificial SELECTION

Topic: Artificial selection has resulted in plants that are more disease-resistant, cows that produce more milk, and racehorses that run faster. One must wonder what will come next. In the blog entry answer the following question - under what circumstances should humans be artificially selecting plants or animals, if any?

Here is a video that gives a quick very brief introduction to evolution and natural/artificial selection:

Natural selection, originally introduced by the scientist Charles Darwin, is the process in which favorable traits are carried on through a species' offspring. the individuals with these favorable traits usually have either a better chance of survival or have a better chance of attracting a mate or producing offspring, thus their favorable traits get passed on and evolution does it part in changing the traits of a certain population or species. This is also referred to as survival of the fittest, meaning that only those with the best traits and the best genes will survive. This change in genetics usually occurs naturally from mutations of pressing elements that force the species to evolve.

Unlike natural selection, artificial selection is the tampering or forced creation of offspring of a certain population to exhibit specific desired traits. These offspring will have traits that help make them more disease resistant, bear larger fruits, or bear a certain phenotypic trait. Scientists all over the world use their knowledge of artificial selection to modify species of both plants and create species that they find more efficient of beneficial. Artificial selection has led to vegetables that bear more harvested produce (bigger heads of cabbage, larger lettuce leaves), fruits bearing no seeds (infertility in the fruits), and animals growing bigger muscles. With the modification of these traits, farmers can sell their produce for more profit, and with more produce, more people can buy goods for a considerable amount cheaper. Although the trade-offs for these new traits come at the price. Are drastically reduced fertility rates in plants, and some rare genetic disorders in animals worth it? I certain would say so.

With artificial selection scientists have modified the genes of dogs to better suit the needs of those who need them. For example, dogs that are needed in the far north need to have thicker coats and more endurance to pull the sleighs of their owners. Police dogs are bred with specific individuals to insure their offspring have the highest sense of smell possible, and have all the strength and dexterity needed to fulfill their police needs, and hunting dogs are bred to have better hunting instincts and very sharp senses. Also, a significant source of benefit from artificial selection that is more noticeable is in dairy cows. With artificial selection certain breeds of dairy cows can now produce almost three times the amount of milk that they could previously. This breakthrough has lead to more efficient farms and the increase in dairy production all across North America. Not only has artificial selection helped us benefit with practical functions in animals, but it also given us commercial and cosmetic aspects to many animals too. An example of this is the extravagant breeds show pigeons. All pigeons originated from the rock dove, or common street pigeon. Through artificial selection the bird has diversified and branched off into a plethora of different breeds, showcased in bird shows. This picture illustrates the vast diversity and complexity of artificial selection in show pigeons. I myself used to own three show pigeons, and thought it was amazing at how they all were so different but were of the same species.

I believe that artificial selection has opened up a world of possibilities for us that are just waiting to be discovered. Looking at the world now and at the ways artificial selection has already helped us benefit from its application makes me wonder what could possibly be next. As long as artificial selection has beneficial outcomes, and little or no side effects, i firmly believe that it is something defiantly worth doing, as it help benefit our world.

Works Cited:

http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/session5/closer1.html
http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/session5/closer1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_selection
http://www.biology-online.org/2/12_selective_breeding.htm