There are still a few hunter-gatherer peoples today. Plant domestication arose as an approach to growing and harvesting more effectively. Erin Sprout Kim Rutledge all weather conditions for a given location over a period of time. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. type of mammal with thick, strong wool used for cloth. Some flowers, such as tulips, were domesticated for ornamental, or decorative, reasons.Animal DomesticationAbout the same time they domesticated plants, people in Mesopotamia began to tame animals for meat, milk, and hides. Domestication of plants and animals marks a major transition in human history that represents a vibrant area of interdisciplinary scientific inquiry. small human settlement usually found in a rural setting. instrument used to help in the performance of a task. 1145 17th Street NW Plant domestication through artificial selection is one of the best examples of this. to feed on grass, usually over a wide pasture. Jeff Hunt, Mary Crooks, National Geographic Society Cows, for instance, are easily domesticated. Horses that are born on ranches or in stables still need to be trained, although training a young horse is easier than domesticating a horse caught in the wild. organisms that have a well-defined shape and limited growth, can move voluntarily, acquire food and digest it internally, and can respond rapidly to stimuli. space for keeping materials for use at a later time. Cotton plants were domesticated for fiber, which is used in cloth. By establishing domesticity, families and larger groups were able to build communities and transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle dependent on foraging and hunting for survival. The first evidence of plant domestication comes from wheat found in pre-Pottery Neolithic villages in Southwest Asia. large farm on which livestock are raised. Domesticated plants. The domestication of plants is one of the first and most crucial steps in the development of a full-fledged, reliable agricultural economy.To successfully feed a society using plants, the first humans had to continually work to improve their yield in quality and quantity. Sometimes, this is called "breaking" a horse. type of domesticated mammal used for riding and hauling. Since only certain plants are being selected and propagated, domestication tends to decrease the genetic diversity of the cultivated varieties of crops (see Figure below). Mesopotamia is thought to be one of the places where early civilization developed. The purpose of plant domestication is to adapt plants to make them optimal for human use/consumption. K. Kris Hirst is an archaeologist with 30 years of field experience. Dogs' scientific name is canis lupus familiaris, while the scientific name for gray wolves is canis lupus. structure that protects people or other organisms from weather and other dangers. Wild HorsesThe process of domestication continues. Dogs and WolvesThough today's dogs were likely domesticated from gray wolves, they are now a distinct species. However, with increased accumulation of agricultural resources by fewer individuals, cities encouraged greater labor migration to them so that people could work in the new economies that had agriculture at their cor… This more reliable food supply meant humans could stay in one place and gave rise to settled communities and cities. Archaeologist Traces Drink to Stone Age. Their crop, in turn, starts to take on the desirable properties the farmer selected for and disadvantageous attributes are extinguished over time. Hunter-gatherer cultures forage or hunt food from their environment. They are dated at 10,500 to 10,100 BC. Agricultural communities developed approximately 10,000 years ago when humans began to domesticate plants and animals. The domestication of plants was a signature technology initiated by humans during the transition from hunting–gathering to agriculture, about 12 000 years ago. In Southeast Asia, chickens also were domesticated about 10,000 years ago. large, domesticated mammal used for milk and meat.