What process occurs when individuals with favorable traits are selected for breeding?

The process where individuals with favorable traits are selected for breeding is known as artificial selection. This involves humans deliberately choosing specific traits in plants or animals to encourage their reproduction, leading to populations that exhibit those desired traits more prominently over time. Unlike natural selection, where environmental pressures influence the survival and reproduction of individuals based on their traits, artificial selection is directed by human choices.

For instance, when breeders select for certain characteristics in livestock or crops—such as size, color, or yield—they are engaging in artificial selection. This method has been widely used in agriculture and domestication of animals to enhance specific desirable features. Over generations, the selected traits become more pronounced in the population, demonstrating how artificial selection can drastically shape the genetic makeup of a species.

Other processes mentioned, such as gene flow, genetic drift, and homology events, do not specifically pertain to human-directed breeding practices. Gene flow involves the transfer of genetic material between populations, genetic drift refers to random changes in allele frequencies within a population, and homology events relate to similarities due to shared ancestry rather than breeding for traits.