Hi all
I would like to make it clear that I do not consider myself an authority on this topic, but find it interesting to explore. Hence, tentative or contradictory statements may be encountered in the discussion. My aim is to learn, by finding out and looking from different perspectives. I believe the truth, if there is such a thing, is the sum of many points of view. Additionally, the truthfulness of a statement also depends on how it accurately fits what we observe in reality. OK, then:
Interbreeding among domestic, feral,
and wild animals, augmented by the opportunities
afforded by migrations and
trade, has created long and complex evolutionary
and domestication histories that
challenge assumptions regarding genetic
isolation and long-held definitions of domestication.
Given differences of degree
between domestic and wild animals, some
might question whether domestication
remains a useful concept. We consider it is
essential to treat changing human–animal
relations as a continuum, specifying domestication
traits that vary with taxon and
context—animal–human relationship, place,
and time — rather than focusing on general
expectations or arbitrary boundaries. This is
the direction in which recent archaeological
research has been moving.
Understanding epigenetic mechanisms, such
as patterns of DNA methylation that cause
genes to express themselves differently in human
compared with wild settings or under
varying management regimes (e.g., under
stress), promise to provide new insights into
ways in which selection was maintained
Instead of assuming strong intentional and
directional selection during the early stage of
animal domestication, the challenge is to investigate
sources of selection more critically,
bearing in mind the complex interplay of
human and environmental selection and the
likelihood of long-term gene flow from the wild.
Marshall, F. B., Dobney, K., Denham, T., & Capriles, J. M. (2014). Evaluating the roles of directed breeding and gene flow in animal domestication. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(17), 6153-6158.
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