In the 18th century, farmer Robert Bakewell separated large, fine-boned sheep with long, shiny wool from his native stock to interbreed for future sheep flocks - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 30 - 2017 - Paper 1
Question 30
In the 18th century, farmer Robert Bakewell separated large, fine-boned sheep with long, shiny wool from his native stock to interbreed for future sheep flocks.
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Worked Solution & Example Answer:In the 18th century, farmer Robert Bakewell separated large, fine-boned sheep with long, shiny wool from his native stock to interbreed for future sheep flocks - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 30 - 2017 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. genetic fitness.
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Answer
Genetic fitness refers to the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment. This does not directly relate to Bakewell's practice, as he was not focused on the natural ability of the sheep to survive but rather on specific traits.
Step 2
B. natural selection.
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Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. While Bakewell's actions might eventually lead to artificial selection, this option does not apply since he was directly intervening in breeding.
Step 3
C. selective breeding.
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Selective breeding is the process by which humans intentionally breed for specific traits in animals or plants. This is the most appropriate choice, as Bakewell specifically chose large, fine-boned sheep with desirable wool characteristics for future generations.
Step 4
D. allopatric speciation.
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Allopatric speciation occurs when populations are geographically isolated leading to the formation of new species. This does not apply to the situation described, as Bakewell was not isolating sheep populations geographically.