Final answer:
Artificial selection is conducted by humans to propagate desirable traits in organisms, while natural selection is an environmental process that determines which individuals survive to reproduce. Both processes result in the adaptation of species over time, and artificial selection provides observable evidence that supports Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
Step-by-step explanation:
Artificial selection is a process conducted by humans who breed plants and animals to pass on desired traits to future generations. For instance, domesticated dogs have been bred for various attributes, resulting in a diversity of breeds. Darwin's concept of natural selection, however, involves the natural environment determining which individuals survive and reproduce based on their suitability to the environment's conditions.
Both artificial selection and natural selection lead to organisms that are better adapted over time, but the agents of selection differ. Whereas in artificial selection humans make conscious breeding choices, in natural selection the environment plays the key role.
Artificial selection provides evidence for evolution by showing how selection pressures can change a species' genetic makeup over generations. Simply put, it’s an observable example of how selection can lead to the evolution of species, supporting Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.