How did the Industrial Revolution impact the population of peppered moths in Britain? (

Answer 1

The Industrial Revolution had a significant impact on the population of peppered moths in Britain. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the majority of peppered moths in Britain had a light coloration, which provided them with camouflage against the light-colored lichen-covered trees where they lived. However, with the increase in industrialization and the resulting air pollution, the light-colored trees became darkened by soot and pollution, making the light-colored moths more visible to predators.

As a result, a mutation in the peppered moth population that caused some individuals to have a darker coloration became more advantageous for survival in the industrialized areas. These darker-colored moths, known as melanic moths, were able to blend in better with the darkened tree trunks and were less likely to be eaten by predators. Over time, the population of melanic moths increased, while the population of light-colored moths decreased.

Therefore, the Industrial Revolution led to a significant shift in the population of peppered moths in Britain, resulting in an increase in the proportion of melanic moths in industrialized areas. This phenomenon, known as industrial melanism, is a classic example of natural selection in action and has been extensively studied as a demonstration of evolutionary processes in response to human-induced environmental changes.