Key Stage 4
Meaning
Selective Breeding is a process in which individuals of a species are chosen by humans for reproduction to pass on certain characteristics to their offspring.
About Selective Breeding
- Selective Breeding is what has led to the features of all cultivated plants and many domesticated animals.
- Selective Breeding causes evolution of a population.
- Selective Breeding works by selecting individuals in a species with desirable characteristics and breeding them with one another. It may also involve killing individuals with undesirable characteristics in order to prevent them from reproducing.
- Over many generations selective breeding can cause significant changes to a population.
Individuals may be selected for a number of reasons:
- A good temperament - Animals that are calm and not aggressive.
- A high yield - Individuals that produce a large amount of a desired product, eg milk, wool, fruit.
- Appearance - Individuals that are aesthetically pleasing, eg flowers, pets.
- Resistant to Disease - Individuals that are not affected by certain diseases.