When people started to plant stored seed stock deliberately, they also began protecting their plants. This changed the evolutionary ① pressure that these food plants experienced, as they no longer had to survive in a natural environment. Instead, people created a new environment for them, and selected for other characteristics than nature previously had. Seeds recovered at archaeological sites clearly show that farmers selected for larger seeds and ② thinner seed coats. Thick seed coats are often ③ essential for seeds to survive in a natural environment because the seeds of many wild plants remain dormant for months until winter is over and rain sets in. But under human management thick seed coats are unnecessary, as farmers ④ evade responsibility for storing seeds away from moisture and predators. In fact, seeds with thinner coats were ⑤ preferred as they are easier to eat or process into flour, and they allow seedlings to sprout more quickly when sown.