What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection?

Answer 1

Natural selection is when 'nature chooses' the organism with the favourable characteristics to survive. E.G. Giraffe's Long-necked giraffes are 'chosen by nature' because they have the favourable characteristic of being tall, which allows them to reach higher branches in higher trees. Whilst shorter-necked giraffes cant reach this food source and as the shorter trees run out of vegetation, the shorter-necked giraffes will end up dead.


Artificial selection is when 'man-chooses' the organism that he wants because of their favorable characteristics,
E.G Choosing the 'fat' cows to breed to produce more fat cows because they have more meat in them. This will in-turn affect the numbers of the 'skinner' cows with undesirable characteristics.
Artificial selection is where man selects organisms with useful characteristics to him whereas natural selection is the process whereby nature selects the fittest organisms.

A2. Some social insects such as ants employ aphids to grow fungi, it follows that the ants also have a part to play in Artificial Selection, in both the aphids and the fungi. So it is not just man.

Answer 2

Natural selection is the result of natural factors, which favour certain variations. Artificial selection is the deliberate selection of certain traits (by humans), for example a Poodle is the result of artificial selection.
Natural selection occurs when a particular feature gives an organism a survival or mating advantage-- so for example, giraffes with longer necks were better able to feed themselves than those with shorter necks. Over time longer necked giraffes were better able to survive and breed. So longer necks were selected for naturallly.

Artificial selection is when humankind chooses certain traits and breeds organisms for that trait. Example-- the domestic dog. The original organism was the wolf. Humans chose certain traits, such as size or temprement and bred together those with the desired trait(s). Hence the various breeds we have today.
Natural selection is largely determined by environmental factors, where nature chooses organisms with the best traits for survival.

• Tigers developed stripes so they could sneak up on their prey easier. The stripy tigers caught more prey, became healthier than tigers that have more trouble catching prey, and produced more stripy offspring.
• For example, long-necked giraffes are chosen by naturebecause they're tall and can reach higher leaves, while shorter-necked giraffes can't reach as high and might starve to death.

Artificial selection is controlled by humans, where a person chooses which traits of the organism that he wants it to have.

• Pug dogs have pug faces because people bred male dogs with pug-ish faces and female dogs with pug-ish faces to produce offspring with totally pug faces.
• People choose the fat cows to breed more fat cows because they've more meat. This decreases the eventual number of skinnier cows.

Answer 3

• natural selection occurs due to natural phenomena (e.g. changes in diet or predators).
• artificial selection occurs due to human generated phenomena (e.g. breeding or domestication).

Answer 4

Natural selection is when genes are passed on naturally through animal intercourse. Artificial selection is when they are passed on unnaturally through human intervention examples would be breeding and artificial insemination.

Answer 5

Natural selection - is simply letting nature 'take its course' - usually resulting inn the survival of the fittest. Artificial selection - involves genetic manipulation to (for example) stop the 'subject' getting a disease.