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What is industrial melanism ?

Or

Explain how natural selection has worked on population of peppered moth in industrial area of England. 


Industrial melanism. It is an example of natural selection shown by peppered moth Biston betularia. The moth had a dull grey coloured body before industrial revolution in England. The colour of moth enabled it to adapt to the light coloured background. After the industrial revolution the environment changed with the deposition of tar soot on the bark of the trees. As a result, light coloured species of moth were easily detected by the predators against the dark bark of trees while the black coloured moth Biston carbonaria increased in number. The change enabled the animal to adjust with the changed environment.

However, with the replacement of coal and petroleum by gas and electricity the situation has changed. Thus the white moth has become abundant with a sharp decline in the number of black. The reason being the decrease in pollution and restoration of grey colour on the trees because of the growth of the lichens on the tree trunk.

Thus industrial melanism is an interesting example of evidence in favour of natural selection.

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