Abstract
Domestication is a process of rapid evolution under the influence of human selection. We have domesticated the dog, but we have also evolved fruit trees and microorganisms. We'll look at the evolutionary processes at work in the domestication of apple trees and the molds used to mature cheeses such as Roquefort and Camembert, and in particular how gene flow enabled rapid adaptation. We'll also look at the threats to biodiversity resulting from domestication, including the loss of diversity in cultivated organisms and gene flow to natural populations.
