Question 15

The selective breeding of plants and animals is called artificial selection.

Artificial selection refers to the intentional breeding of plants and animals for desired traits. This process is a key method used in agriculture and animal husbandry to enhance specific characteristics in species.

A) natural selection

Natural selection is a process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. While it involves the selection of traits, it occurs without human intervention, making it distinct from artificial selection.

B) artificial selection

Artificial selection is the correct answer as it specifically involves humans selecting for specific traits in plants and animals. This practice has been used for centuries to develop crops and livestock with desirable attributes, such as size, flavor, or resistance to disease.

C) stabilizing selection

Stabilizing selection is a type of natural selection that favors average traits and reduces variation. It does not involve human intervention and is not related to the selective breeding practices that characterize artificial selection.

D) disruptive selection

Disruptive selection is another form of natural selection that favors extreme traits over average ones, leading to increased diversity within a population. Like stabilizing selection, it occurs naturally and is not a method of breeding influenced by human choice.

Conclusion

Artificial selection is the definitive answer as it directly pertains to the human-driven process of breeding for specific traits in plants and animals. In contrast, natural selection, stabilizing selection, and disruptive selection are all processes that occur without human influence, making them incorrect in this context.