Final answer:
Selective breeding involves traditional breeding and modern genetic engineering, both leading to changes in an organism's genetic makeup. It's similar to, yet distinct from natural selection and supports the concept of evolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Types of Selective Breeding
Selective breeding is a process of artificial selection where plants and animals with desirable traits are bred to produce offspring with those traits. This comes in two main forms: traditional breeding and modern genetic engineering. In traditional breeding, all genes between two organisms are mixed, which can lead to unpredictable results. Modern genetic engineering, on the other hand, modifies specific genes to achieve desired traits and can involve the transfer of genes between unrelated species.
Comparison to Natural Selection: Artificial selection is similar to natural selection in that both involve differential reproduction based on favored traits. However, in artificial selection, humans choose the traits, whereas in natural selection, environmental pressures determine which individuals survive to reproduce.
Artificial Selection as Evidence for Evolution: Yes, artificial selection provides evidence for evolution by natural selection by demonstrating how specific traits can become prevalent in a population when they are favored. It showcases the process of inheritance and change in a species over generations.