..effect on human society and evolution! (1 Viewer)

[DHarris]

Hi There,

Just needs some help with where to find info for these statements -

An assessment of the impact of artificial insemination and artificial pollination on human society.

An explanation of how these technologies (artificial insemination, artificial pollination and whole animal cloning) have the potential to affect evolution.

I have a general idea - but not enough to answer them thoroughly.

Thank you!

 

[katie tully]

What is your general idea and I'll tell you whether you're on the right track.

 

[DHarris]

An assessment of the impact of artificial insemination and artificial pollination on human society.

* Economy ( ie. AI in racing industry, bring in money etc)
* Moral/ethical issues - religion, same sex couples etc.

An explanation of how these technologies (artificial insemination, artificial pollination and whole animal cloning) have the potential to affect evolution.

* AI - potential to expand upon gene pool
* AP - limits natural selection, therefore no chance for evolution (or very limited)
* WAC - Again no chance for natural selection to occur therefore no evolution occurs

Thank you for your reply.

 

[katie tully]

The economy and same sex couples don't really have anything to do with artificial insemination (well ok maybe the latter) or artificial pollination.

Artificial pollination is a way of breeding only plants with stronger traits, by transferring pollen with desirable traits into the stamen of another plant.
Pollination - MSN Encarta

Artificial insemination is much the same, only involving animals/humans. It's selecting the genes from those who have the most desirable traits (size, intelligence, hair colour/eye colour etc) and inseminating them so that only the desirable traits will continue.

I guess you could say artificial insemination will impact on human society via the economy, but I think they'd be looking more towards answers that focus on the genetic aspects. What do you think will be the impact on human society if we constantly pick and choose and eradicate the less desirable traits?

AI - I wouldn't say it expands the gene pool, more like it limits it. You're deliberately excluding certain undesirable traits by only allowing those with the desirable traits to breed.

In terms of evolution; there is a loss of diversity in the gene pool (many genes are lost). So a disease could wipe out an entire population if resistant alleles have been lost