Improvement by domestication means picking the best plants and animals for what purpose?

The correct answer focuses on the fundamental goal of domestication, which is to enhance the traits of plants and animals for agricultural purposes by selectively breeding individuals that exhibit desirable characteristics. This practice ensures that the next generation inherits those desirable traits, leading to improved yields, better resistance to diseases, or enhanced nutritional value.

In the context of domestication, the emphasis is on producing a consistent and improved lineage over time. This approach has been pivotal in the development of various cultivated crops and domesticated animals that meet human needs more effectively than their wild counterparts.

The other choices, while they touch on aspects of agricultural practice or the process of breeding, do not encapsulate the central aim of improvement through domestication in the same way. The focus is not primarily on display, feeding livestock, or creating hybrids, as these can be incidental outcomes of breeding practices rather than the main objective of selecting the best individuals for the direct purpose of subsequent generations.