Domestication and breeding Experimental evolution

this chihuahua mix , great dane show wide range of dog breed sizes created using artificial selection.

unwittingly, humans have carried out evolution experiments long have been domesticating plants , animals. selective breeding of plants , animals has led varieties differ dramatically original wild-type ancestors. examples cabbage varieties, maize, or large number of different dog breeds. power of human breeding create varieties extreme differences single species recognized charles darwin. in fact, started out book origin of species chapter on variation in domestic animals. in chapter, darwin discussed in particular pigeon.

altogether @ least score of pigeons might chosen, if shown ornithologist, , told wild birds, certainly, think, ranked him well-defined species. moreover, not believe ornithologist place english carrier, short-faced tumbler, runt, barb, pouter, , fantail in same genus; more in each of these breeds several truly-inherited sub-breeds, or species might have called them, shown him. (...) convinced common opinion of naturalists correct, namely, have descended rock-pigeon (columba livia), including under term several geographical races or sub-species, differ each other in trifling respects.