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DOMESTICATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Domestication of plants and animals evolved piecemeal over quite a long period, in only a few areas in the world, but apparently on several independent occasions, as genetic analyses show. The very limited access to suitable wild plants and animals for domestication was a key process, as was the development of technologies of sowing, growing, harvesting, etc., and selection of crops and animals. As the human population increased the sedentary and agricultural lifestyle became almost the only one that could support a society.
The key factor, wild species that could be domesticated, were uniquely available in what is commonly called the "fertile crescent", an area corresponding to today's Middle East, or Southwest Asia. This is the place of origin of emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, barley, pea, lentil, chick pea, flax, etc.
Also in a modern overview of possible source plant material for domestication this area is unique in providing a very large percentage of what is possible to use in the long term. A similar situation prevails for animals. The wild ancestors of the five most important domesticated animals - sheep, goats, cows, pigs and horses - were all living in Southwest Asia. This is again unique in the world. These environmental factors constitute the main explanation why Europe became "the cradle of civilization" - rather than Australia or America - and finally later "discovered" and colonized the rest of the world.
Agriculture and animal production had dramatic environmental consequences. Obviously if a piece of land is turned from "wild" with only some 0.1% of the biomass useful to man, to become cultivated where 90% becomes harvestable crop or animal, this constitutes a large scale exchange of biology and environment to favour some species rather than others. The environmental impact of this is increasing as the areas taken into use for domesticated plants 
and animals increase. Today a very large proportion of land is used either for crop or animal production, and it is estimated that some 90% of all land higher animal biomass is domestic.
The process of domestication has continued all the time since its beginning. At a later stage the American continents contributed e.g. the potato and corn while the Asian domestication of rice is very old. More recent is e.g. domestication of fruit trees, bushes, and other plants that require several years' cultivation before they can be harvested. Some resources are still used without or with only minor efforts of domestication, e.g. many woods and forests, some wild berries and bushes and most importantly marine resources. However agriculture is a major field where domestication of animals for food production is taking place today.
TASK1
USE PARTICIPLE I OR PARTICIPLE II ACCORDING TO THE SENCE:
1. Selection was used to improve the genetic properties of (domesticating, domesticated) plants and animals.
2. Other (introducing, introduced) genes may improve the nutritional value of the plant.
3. Biotechnology in general refers to the use of (living, lived) cells or organisms or parts thereof in technical contexts.
4. Biotechnology refers to (controlling, controlled) biological systems, small ecosystems.
5. The Brundtland Commission argued for a strong increase in capital flows to (developing, developed) countries, improvements in terms of trade for these countries and other measures to reduce the gaps in living standards between rich and poor countries.
TASK2
USE THE GERUND:
1. The process of selection was slow, but still important for (to improve) production.
2. (to breed) new varieties became part of larger environmental impact of agriculture in general.
3. Classical biotechnology includes use of bacteria for (sour) wine.
4. Biotechnology underlines the importance of a protected biodiversity to preserve the potential for (to find) new interesting genes.
5. A rather undeveloped possibility is to let cell cultures produce specific products instead of (to harvest) these in nature.
TASK3
MATCH THE WORDS WITH THEIR DEFINITIONS AND TRANSLATE THEM:
| 1. to domesticate; 2. selection; 3. gene; 4. to cultivate; 5. mammal; | a. to prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening; b. the action or fact of carefully choosing someone or something as being the best or most suitable; c. a warm-blooded vertebrate animal of a class that is distinguished by the possession of hair or fur, the secretion of milk by females for the nourishment of the young, and (typically) the birth of live young. d. to tame (an animal) and keep it as a pet or for farm produce; e. a unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring; |
B. MATCH THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENSE WITH ITS LOGICAL END:
6. At a later stage the American continents contributed e.g. the potato and corn while
a) to “design” the genomes of plants and animals.
7. Some resources are still used without or with only minor efforts of domestication, e.g.
b) many woods and forests, some wild berries and bushes and most important marine resources.
8. The new varieties gave higher yields but also required the new techniques that were introduced simultaneously:
c) to replace fossil fuels and thus turn the combustion process into a renewable scheme.
9. Since the 1980’s new genetic techniques have made it possible
d) the Asian domestication of rice is very old.
10. The ultimate “biological machine” may be a device that using photosynthetic components, would from air, water and sunshine produce a fuel,
e) fertilizers to promote growth, biocides to control pests and so on.
TASK 4
MATCH THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENSE WITH ITS LOGICAL END:
1 At a later stage the American continents contributed e.g. the potato and corn while
2. Some resources are still used without or with only minor efforts of domestication, e.g.
3. The new varieties gave higher yields but also required the new techniques that were introduced simultaneously:
.
4. Since the 1980’s new genetic techniques have made it possible
5. The ultimate “biological machine” may be a device that using photosynthetic components, would from air, water and sunshine produce a fuel,
a) to “design” the genomes of plants and animals.
b) many woods and forests, some wild berries and bushes and most important marine resources.
c) to replace fossil fuels and thus turn the combustion process into a renewable scheme
d) the Asian domestication of rice is very old.
e) fertilizers to promote growth, biocides to control pests and so on.
4 Вариант