Key learning points

1. Some plants and animals have features that are useful to us (e.g. they can provide food and materials, or do work).
2. Selective breeding by humans causes particular features to become more (or less) common in the species.
3. After many generations, the resulting domesticated species can be quite different to their wild ancestors.
4. Examples of the selective breeding of a farm animal and a crop from their wild ancestors.
5. The dependence of humans on domesticated animals and crops for food security.

Keywords

• Selective breeding - The process in which humans choose individuals with desirable traits and mate them in order to make offspring with these desirable traits.

• Crop - Plants grown on a large scale for food or profit.

• Domesticated - An animal that has been tamed and is kept as a pet or on a farm.

• Farm animal - Animals that are kept on farms for food or work.

• Food security - A measure of the quantity and quality of food available to support households or whole communities.

Common misconception