AQA · Biology · 8461
GCSE Biology: Selective breeding
Inheritance, variation and evolution · AQA GCSE Biology (8461), specification point 4.6.2.3. Cards are generated from the exam board's own specification for "Selective breeding", and every card links back to the page it came from. Specification © AQA — used with attribution.
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What is selective breeding?
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The process by which humans breed plants and animals for particular genetic characteristics.
Another name for selective breeding is ?.
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artificial selection
Roughly how long have humans practised selective breeding?
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Thousands of years — since humans first bred food crops from wild plants and domesticated animals.
What is the first step in selective breeding?
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Choosing parents with the desired characteristic from a mixed population.
After the chosen parents are bred, what happens to the offspring in selective breeding?
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The offspring showing the desired characteristic are selected and bred together.
When does the selective breeding process stop?
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After many generations, when all the offspring show the desired characteristic.
Give one example of a characteristic selectively bred into food crops.
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Disease resistance.
Give one example of a characteristic selectively bred into farm animals.
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Producing more meat or more milk.
What characteristic is commonly selectively bred into domestic dogs?
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A gentle nature.
For what two broad reasons can a characteristic be chosen in selective breeding?
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Usefulness or appearance (e.g. large or unusual flowers).
Selective breeding can lead to ?, where some breeds become particularly prone to disease or inherited defects.
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inbreeding
Why is inbreeding a risk of selective breeding?
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It reduces genetic variation, so some breeds become particularly prone to disease or inherited defects.
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