Artificial_Selection.asf

Wild dogs Terriers

Collies Viemerana

Look at the difference between these species of dog below:

What were the differences between the dogs?

•Size

•Colour

•Muscle development

•Length of coat

•Job

•Nature

Where have all these different species come from?

All these species are related to the wolf. But how?

Over thousands of years man has selected characteristics in dogs that are useful…..

•Very small dogs•Used for pets

•Large hunting dogs•Strong & powerful

•Large working dogs•Strong and athletic

Artificial selection is the gradual improvement of animal and plant

characteristics over time, for man’s benefit.

This artificial selection of characteristics happens in plants

as well..

In the wild there are various species of corn plant

Good point: Strong stem

Bad point: Small head

Good point: Huge head of grain

Bad point: Drought sensitive

1

2

3

4

Bad point: Small root

Good point: strong roots

Bad point: Small plant

Good point: Disease resistant

Good point: Strong stem

Good point: Huge head of grain

Super CORN!

Good point: Strong roots

Good point: Disease resistant

Look what has happened to the varieties of the corn over last few hundred years.

Look at the variety of plants that have been artificially selected from mustard!

Things I must know about artificial selection

•Artificial Selection is the gradual improvement of organisms characteristics – for humans benefit.

•A.S. takes hundreds of years or hundreds of generations to perfect•Most “domesticated” plants and animals have been artificially selected•A.S. animals & plants produced higher yields of:

1. milk2. meat3. fruit