What is Artificial selection?
[[File:Big_and_little_dog_1.jpg|thumb|right|This mixed-breed [[Chihuahua (dog)|Chihuahua]] and [[Great Dane]] show the range of dog sizes produced by artificial selection]] [[File:Cornselection.jpg|thumb|right|Selective breeding transformed [[teosinte]]'s few fruitcases (left) into modern corn's rows of exposed kernels (right)]] '''Artificial selection''' is the intentional breeding of plants or animals. It means the same thing as '''selective breeding''' and is an ancient method of [[genetic engineering]]. Selective breeding is a [[technique]] used when [[breed]]ing [[domestication|domesticated]] [[animal]]s, such as [[dog]]s, [[pigeon]]s or [[cattle]]. Some of these animals may have [[Trait (biology)|traits]] that a breeder will want to carry over to the next generation. The breeder will therefore select those animals to breed which have that quality, rather than those that do not. [[Inbreeding]] is a particular kind of selective breeding, designed to produce a population which is genetically virtually identical. Such populations are rarely viable outside the [[laboratory]]. They lose [[fertility]]. To control this, most breeds are [[Outcrossing|outcrossed]] or backcrossed to [[wild-type]] individuals, or at least less inbred stock. The details differ from breed to breed. The improvement when outcrossing is done is called [[hybrid vigour]]. [[Charles Darwin]] used the example of artificial selection to introduce his idea of [[natural selection]]. Artificial selection may be contrasted with the process of natural selection. In natural selection, the differential reproduction of organisms with certain traits happens. This is because some variations help the [[organism]] to have better survival and reproduction. The process maintains or enhances the [[fitness]] of a population in its natural [[habitat]]. Artificial selection may sometimes be unintentional; it is thought that domestication of [[crop]]<nowiki/>s by early humans was largely unintentional.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.botany.wisc.edu/co