Question
How can dog breeders cause traits to become more or less common in a population?
By changing the DNA of the dogs
By altering the environment
By controlling which dogs mate
D) By introducing new genes from other species
By changing the DNA of the dogs
By altering the environment
By controlling which dogs mate
D) By introducing new genes from other species
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Dog breeders can cause traits to become more or less common in a population primarily **by controlling which dogs mate**. This selective breeding allows breeders to emphasize certain desirable traits and discourage the prevalence of others.
Here's a brief explanation of why the other options are not the primary methods used by breeders:
- **By changing the DNA of the dogs:** While breeders can influence traits through selective breeding, they do not directly change the DNA in the way that gene editing techniques do (though some breeders may use genetic testing to inform their decisions).
- **By altering the environment:** While environmental factors can influence the expression of traits, the primary mechanism by which breeders introduce or reduce traits is through selective mating rather than environmental manipulation.
- **By introducing new genes from other species:** This is not a common practice in dog breeding. Breeders typically work within the same species (Canis lupus familiaris) to maintain specific breeds and traits rather than introducing genes from other species.
So the correct answer is: **By controlling which dogs mate.**
Here's a brief explanation of why the other options are not the primary methods used by breeders:
- **By changing the DNA of the dogs:** While breeders can influence traits through selective breeding, they do not directly change the DNA in the way that gene editing techniques do (though some breeders may use genetic testing to inform their decisions).
- **By altering the environment:** While environmental factors can influence the expression of traits, the primary mechanism by which breeders introduce or reduce traits is through selective mating rather than environmental manipulation.
- **By introducing new genes from other species:** This is not a common practice in dog breeding. Breeders typically work within the same species (Canis lupus familiaris) to maintain specific breeds and traits rather than introducing genes from other species.
So the correct answer is: **By controlling which dogs mate.**