The breeding of plants and animals for particular traits by humans is called __________.

• A. natural selection
• B. sexual recombination
• C. paleontology
• D. homology
• E. artificial selection

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of artificial selection: It is a process by which humans breed plants and animals for specific traits. This is different from natural selection, where environmental factors determine which traits are advantageous.
2. Identify the traits that are desirable: In artificial selection, humans choose traits that are beneficial or appealing, such as larger fruits in plants or faster growth rates in animals.
3. Learn how artificial selection is implemented: Humans selectively breed individuals that exhibit the desired traits, often over many generations, to enhance or fix these traits in the population.
4. Compare artificial selection with other concepts: Natural selection is driven by environmental pressures, while artificial selection is driven by human choice. Sexual recombination involves the mixing of genetic material during reproduction, paleontology is the study of fossils, and homology refers to similarities due to shared ancestry.
5. Recognize the impact of artificial selection: This process has led to the development of various domesticated species with traits that are significantly different from their wild ancestors, such as domesticated dogs, crops, and livestock.