What is artificial selection?

Artificial selection refers to the intentional breeding of organisms that possess specific, desirable traits. This process is commonly used in agriculture, horticulture, and animal breeding where humans select which individuals to breed based on their exhibiting those favorable characteristics, such as size, flavor, or disease resistance. By choosing specific individuals to reproduce, artificial selection promotes the prevalence of certain traits in subsequent generations, often leading to enhanced productivity or improved attributes within a species.

In contrast, the other options describe phenomena that do not involve conscious selection by humans for specific traits. Genetic variation occurs naturally within populations and is not a result of human intervention. The unintentional evolution of a species over time, which can happen through natural selection, operates independently of human preferences. Spontaneous generation refers to the outdated idea that life could arise from non-living matter, which does not accurately represent the processes involved in evolution or selection. Thus, the definition of artificial selection as intentional and trait-focused is a clear and distinct concept within the study of biology.