Can there be forced evolution

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Selection (whether natural or artificial) is one of the force causing evolution. So yes, artificial selection is one way to 'force' evolution to happen in a specific way. One could select trees for bigger fruits or dogs for longer fur for example. One cannot force "Natural Selection", as "forced natural selection" is defined as "artificial selection".

You might want to have a look at an intro to evolutionary biology such as Understanding Evolution by UC Berkeley for example

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Chris
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Chris

Updated on January 15, 2020

Comments

  • Chris
    Chris almost 4 years

    Can we force a species to evolve through a mixture of natural and artificial selection in a closed environment?

    • dblyons
      dblyons almost 7 years
      Maybe pose a more specific scenario and we can suggest whether this would be feasible experimentally. Purely artificial selection, as was used to generate basically all of the food we eat, for example, is definitely a form of forced evolution but it happened in a somewhat-poorly controlled environment (a farm over a long period of time, in the case of plant or animal breeding).
    • fileunderwater
      fileunderwater almost 7 years
      Exactly what are you asking? Artificial selection clearly exists, as does the combined effects of natural and artificial selection. How does "forced evolution" different from this?
    • Joe Healey
      Joe Healey almost 7 years
      I don't think this question shows much research effort on the part of the OP. The OP acknowledges the existence of Artificial Selection so has even answered their own query surely?