H.B.D. Kettlewell observed that peppered moths in the forests of England were becoming darker in color over time. In addition, he observed that pollution had turned the tree trunks black. He thought it would be easy for birds to spot and capture light-colored moths resting on the black tree trunks and that this would result in light moths being eaten more often than dark moths.
A. State, in the form of a hypothesis, Kettlewell’s explanation as to why a great proportion of the moths were dark. Complete this sentence: The great proportion of the moths are dark because______________________________
B. Kettlewell tested his idea that moths who did not match the color of the tree trunks would be more obvious to predators. He placed light moths on dark tree trunks and observed how many of them were eaten by birds. Then he placed the same number of dark moths on dark tree trunks and observed how many were eaten by birds.What was the variable in this experiment?
C. Imagine that Kettlewell released 50 light moths onto dark tree trunks and 30 were eaten. He released 50 dark moths onto dark tree trunks and 10 were eaten. Would these results uphold or discredit his hypothesis? Why?
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