Back
Home
1.3 describe the changes in one group of animals and one group of plants as a result of artificial selection of characteristics suitable for agricultural stock
describe the changes in one group of animals and one group of plants as a result of artificial selection of characteristics suitable for agricultural stock
- Sheep were domesticated approximately 10 000 years ago in Central Asia. They were probably bred from the wild mouflon of western Asia. They were useful for both clothes and for food. Later in 3 500 spinning was discovered and fabric has been found in Egyptian tombs dated at 5 BC.
The Romans took sheep with fine wool to Spain where further breeding produced the Merino breed.
During the Middle Age in Europe, sheep were used for meat, wool, skins and for milking.
In England during the eighteenth century there was deliberate breeding of sheep to produce favourable varieties such as the Leicestershire.
Today there are five main types of sheep based on wool type.
For more information see;
Mouflon
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.
Domestication of animals and plants
, About.com
- Wheat The domestication of wheat involved both human intervention and natural hybridisation between closely related species. In parts of the Middle East the ancestors of wheat (einkorn – Triticum boeticum and emmerwheat – Triticum dicoccoides ) grew thickly enough naturally to be harvested. Harvesting them changed them genetically by selecting the seed that naturally clung to the plant instead of being blown off by the wind. Humans would then sow the seeds of the plants that had clinging heads more often then the seed that dispersed naturally. This resulted in domesticated plants that cannot naturally reproduce themselves without human intervention.
Modern wheat is husk free, typically short and stands well in highly fertile situations.
Domestication
Wikipedia