Humans have bred animals and plants for years through the process of ______ in order to hand-select traits needed in the livestock or produce.

selective breeding

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Humans have bred animals and plants for years through the process of selective breeding in order to hand-select traits needed in the livestock or produce. Selective breeding involves intentionally choosing certain individuals with desirable characteristics to reproduce, stimulating the inheritance of those traits in future generations. This practice has allowed us to create various dog breeds with unique temperaments and physical attributes, such as the loyal and gentle Labrador Retriever or the energetic and agile Border Collie. Similarly, it has resulted in high-yielding crop varieties that are resistant to diseases, such as wheat with improved yield and pest resistance. Through selective breeding, humans have successfully modified the genetic makeup of species to fulfill specific requirements, contributing to the diverse and improved population of animals and plants we see today.