I agree with you but..



How much genetic variation is necessary to label an animals domesticated?

Does the variation have to be genetic or can it be behavioral oalso?

Perhaps a mix of both? but to what extent?

You mention several generations? How many is that?



I'm sorry that I take apart your definition but it's important for me to get more indepth understanding of this defnition.



You mention "the pressures of natural selection". I find this very interesting, Could you explain this term for me?.

I have never heard this term used in any context before and I'm not sure if I can allow myself to speculate on it's emaning.



If I can identify the factores that lead to the domestication of an animal.

Where is the bnorder drawn and when does the animal become in part domesticated?

Or to turn this around, when does the animals stop beeing a wild animal?

This is a complex question it seems.

In one extremity we have the definition where once an animal is touched by a human hand (even if nor removed from it's habitat for a long period) it should be concidered domesticated.

In the other extremity we have the definition where extensive genetic and behavioral variations have to be present, I guess we could drag this one so far out to the extremity that an animals has to develop mathematical skills or something similar to be concidered domesticated.



It's hard to make up a definition that will satisfy two disputing parts.



Jared Diamond (Nature 418: 700-707,

2002) cites 14 as the number of true domestic animal species.



I haven't been able to accuire a copy paper but judging by the heading I'd say that the threshold of criterea are quite high in this paper. Also it would be interesting to read the definition of a "true domestic animal species".



I muct admit that I haven't thought thouroughly about how many species of animals can be concidered domesticated but the number stated above still seems a bit low according to my own uneducated definition.

What do you think?



Best regards

obeligz

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