Artificial Selection leads to loss of Genetic Variation? or Genetic Equilibrium?
Artificial selection can indeed lead to a loss of genetic variation within a population. Let me explain how this happens.
Artificial selection is a process where humans selectively breed certain individuals with desirable traits to produce offspring with those traits. This is commonly seen in agriculture, where farmers selectively breed plants or animals to enhance desired characteristics such as higher crop yield or specific physical attributes.
When humans are in control of breeding, they tend to choose individuals with specific traits that match their goals. As a result, these selected individuals contribute more of their genes to the following generations compared to others.
Over time, this preferential breeding of certain individuals reduces the genetic diversity within the population. The genetic variability present in the population at the beginning progressively decreases as individuals with other, less desirable traits are excluded from breeding.
This reduction in genetic diversity can have consequences for the population's ability to adapt to changing environments or cope with diseases. With limited genetic options, there is less chance of individuals possessing the necessary traits to thrive in different conditions. As a result, the population becomes less able to deal with new challenges and is more susceptible to potentially disastrous consequences such as inbreeding depression or increased vulnerability to diseases.
In terms of genetic equilibrium, artificial selection moves away from the concept of equilibrium as it purposefully influences the gene frequencies in a population. Genetic equilibrium refers to a situation where the gene frequencies within a population remain constant over generations, indicating a stable state where no evolution is occurring. Artificial selection intentionally selects individuals with certain traits, which creates a directional shift in the gene frequencies and moves away from equilibriums.
So, to answer your question, artificial selection can lead to a loss of genetic variation within a population, rather than genetic equilibrium.