Final answer:
Artificial selection can lead to reduced genetic diversity, increased disease susceptibility, and potential health issues in the organisms being bred due to the focus on specific, sometimes purely aesthetic, traits.
Step-by-step explanation:
One problem with artificial selection is that it may reduce genetic diversity among the organisms being bred. The process involves selecting individuals with desirable traits for reproduction, often leading to a population that shares very similar genes. As a result, the reduced variability in the gene pool can lead to an increased susceptibility to diseases, as the organisms lack diverse defenses. Furthermore, in focusing on particular traits, other beneficial genetic traits may be inadvertently lost or negative traits may be amplified unintentionally. For example, some dog breeds have been artificially selected for specific aesthetic traits, which has led to health issues related to those physical characteristics, such as respiratory issues in brachycephalic breeds like bulldogs and pugs.