Belyaev’s shortcut: How tameness unlocked the secrets of domestication
Key topics:
Belyaev bred tame foxes to study domestication in real time
Tameness led to dog-like behaviour and physical trait changes
Domestication linked behaviour, genetics, and rapid evolutionary shifts
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By David N. Banks
For 15,000 years, humankind has had a best friend. We pet them, treat them like children, put them to work, put them to war, celebrate them in shows, tell them our cares, use them to catch criminals and sniff out drugs and explosives – and love them – often falling short compared to how much they love us. The domestication of dogs is believed to have started with wolves that scavenged near human camps and gradually became more sociable and less fearful of humans. This process resulted in wolves with altered behaviours and physical characteristics, eventually giving rise to the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris).
Domestication is a complex process that involves genetic, behavioural, and environmental changes over generations. It typically requires selective breeding for traits that are advantageous in a human-managed environment. How did this process actually occur? In the 1950s, Dmitry Belyaev conducted an experiment to see if he could recreate, and speed up, the process of domestication – to understand it better
Belyaev’s experiment, begun in the 1950s, sought to replicate the domestication process in real-time using silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Belyaev hypothesized that the key to domestication lay in selecting for tameness, which he believed was linked to certain genetic and physiological traits. He aimed to demonstrate that selecting for behaviour could induce physical and behavioural changes akin to those observed in domesticated animals.
Belyaev’s approach was straightforward yet revolutionary. He started with a population of silver foxes bred for their fur at a fur farm in Novosibirsk, Russia. Over successive generations, Belyaev and his team selected foxes based solely on their reaction to humans. Foxes that exhibited the least fear and the most sociability towards humans were chosen for breeding. Each generation, the tamest foxes were bred, and their offspring were subjected to the same selection criteria. Over the years, Belyaev meticulously recorded changes in behaviour and appearance, creating a controlled environment that mirrored the hypothesised conditions of early dog domestication.
One of the most striking results was the rapid change in the foxes’ behaviour. Within a few generations, a significant portion of the foxes exhibited behaviours typically associated with domesticated dogs. These included tail wagging, seeking human attention, and even licking handlers as a sign of affection. The foxes became more docile and responsive to human interaction, reinforcing Belyaev’s hypothesis that tameness was a key factor in domestication
In addition to behavioural shifts, the experiment also yielded unexpected physical changes. The domesticated foxes began to show traits commonly found in domestic dogs but rarely seen in wild foxes. These included changes in coat colour, floppy ears, curly tails, and shorter snouts. These morphological changes were reminiscent of the “domestication syndrome” observed in other domesticated animals, suggesting a genetic linkage between tameness and physical traits.
Belyaev’s experiment also noted changes in the reproductive and developmental patterns of the foxes. The domesticated foxes reached sexual maturity earlier and produced more offspring compared to their wild counterparts. Additionally, the offspring of domesticated foxes displayed tameness from a young age, indicating that these traits were heritable.
Belyaev’s experiment provided substantial evidence that selective breeding for behaviour could lead to both behavioural and physical changes akin to those seen in domesticated species. This supported the idea that domestication is a multifaceted process involving a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors. The experiment underscored the genetic basis of behaviour, demonstrating that selecting for tameness could lead to profound changes in an animal’s demeanour and interactions with humans. This has implications for understanding the domestication of other animals and the role of genetics in shaping behaviour.
The occurrence of physical traits associated with domestication syndrome in the foxes provided insights into the mechanisms underlying these changes. It suggested that certain genes may influence multiple traits, leading to correlated changes in behaviour, morphology, and physiology. Belyaev’s work also contributed to our understanding of evolutionary processes. It illustrated how selective pressures, whether natural or artificial, can drive rapid evolutionary changes. This has broader implications for the study of evolution and the adaptation of species to new environments.