Selective Breeding: Enhancing Traits in Plants and Animals

The video explores selective breeding, a process where the best plants or animals are bred to produce superior offspring. This practice has been used for thousands of years in agriculture to enhance traits like disease resistance in crops or milk production in cows. The video explains the steps of selective breeding, including selecting individuals with desired traits and breeding them over generations. However, it also highlights drawbacks such as reduced genetic diversity and increased risk of diseases due to inbreeding. The video concludes with a call to engage with the content.

What is selective breeding primarily used for?

• To eliminate all genetic variations

• To increase the number of species

• To enhance desired traits in plants and animals

• To create new species

Which of the following is NOT a trait commonly selected for in animals?

• Increased milk production

• Friendly behavior

• Disease resistance

• Ability to fly

What is the first step in the selective breeding process?

• Breeding all available individuals

• Selecting individuals with desired traits

• Introducing new species

• Randomly choosing individuals

How does selective breeding lead to changes in plants over time?

• By introducing new species

• By selecting and breeding individuals with desired traits over generations

• By eliminating all genetic variations

• By cross-breeding with wild species

What is an example of a plant that has changed significantly due to selective breeding?

• Wild rice

• Sweet corn

• Bananas

• Wild berries

What is a major drawback of selective breeding?

• Reduced gene pool

• Increased genetic diversity

• Increased resistance to all diseases

• Creation of new species

Why can inbreeding be a problem in selective breeding?

• It can lead to inherited defects and diseases

• It increases genetic diversity

• It creates new species

• It eliminates all genetic variations

What is a gene pool?

• A collection of all species in an area

• A collection of all alleles in a population

• A pool of genetic material

• A breeding ground for new species

What can happen to a crop with a small gene pool if a new pathogen arrives?

• It will likely be unaffected

• It could be entirely wiped out

• It will develop new traits

• It will become more resistant

Why are some dog breeds prone to health conditions?

• Due to a large gene pool

• Because of selective breeding and inbreeding

• Due to their diet

• Because they are wild animals