Natural Selection vs. Artificial Selection:
- Difference: Natural selection occurs naturally based on environmental pressures, while artificial selection is the intentional breeding of organisms by humans for desired traits.
- Similarity: Both lead to changes in traits within populations over time.
Directional Selection:
A type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype, causing the allele frequency to shift in that direction.
Disruptive Selection:
A type of selection that favors two or more contrasting phenotypes over the average phenotype, leading to increased diversity within a population.
Stabilizing Selection:
A type of selection that favors average phenotypes and reduces variation in a trait, promoting a stable trait within a population.
Bottleneck Event:
A significant reduction in population size due to environmental events (like disasters) that can lead to decreased genetic diversity and increased risk of extinction.
GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms):
Organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
- Advantage: Can increase crop yields and resistance to pests.
- Disadvantage: May lead to ecological imbalances and reduced biodiversity.