What is the difference between natural and artificial selection?

Natural selection occurs in nature, while artificial selection is controlled by humans.

Natural selection is the process by which organisms with advantageous traits survive and reproduce, passing on those traits to their offspring. This process occurs naturally in nature, without any human intervention. The environment plays a crucial role in natural selection, as it determines which traits are advantageous for survival and reproduction.

Artificial selection, on the other hand, is the process by which humans selectively breed organisms with desirable traits to produce offspring with those traits. This process is often used in agriculture and animal husbandry to produce crops and livestock with specific characteristics, such as higher yields or better meat quality. Humans control the selection process, rather than the environment.

While both natural and artificial selection involve the selection of advantageous traits, the key difference is the role of humans. Natural selection is driven by the environment, while artificial selection is driven by human intervention. Understanding these differences is important for understanding the evolution of species and the impact of human activity on the natural world.