Domestication

Domestication is the long-term biological process by which wild species are adapted to human use through selective breeding and management. Unlike taming, which is a behavioral change in an individual animal, domestication involves genetic change across populations over generations, yielding animals or plants that rely on humans for survival.

Origins occurred in several regions during the Holocene. Early dog domestication likely derived from gray wolves and contributed roles in companionship and work. Plant domestication began with crops such as wheat and barley in Southwest Asia, with later independent developments in Mesoamerica, the Andes, and East Asia. Other widely domesticated animals include cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens.

Humans selected for traits increasing usefulness or manageability, including docility, growth rate, yield, size, and reduced seed dispersal in crops. Over generations, this can produce a domestication syndrome—convergent changes in morphology, physiology, and behavior that distinguish domestic varieties from their wild relatives.

Domestication has reshaped ecosystems and human societies by enabling agriculture, sedentary lifeways, and complex economies. It can reduce genetic diversity and increase vulnerability to pests, while also raising ethical and environmental considerations surrounding breeding, animal welfare, and biodiversity.