What is industrial melanism ? Or Explain how natural selection ha

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 Multiple Choice QuestionsShort Answer Type

71. Describe De Vries Mutation theory.
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72. What is the main difference between Darwin's theory of natural selection and De Vries mutation theory ?
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73. What is competition in nature ? How does it affect the plant and animal life ? Mention some examples.
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 Multiple Choice QuestionsLong Answer Type

74. Where did Darwin err in his theory of the “Origin of Species” through natural selection ?
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 Multiple Choice QuestionsShort Answer Type

75. List three mechanisms by which variant genotypes can be produced in nature.
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76. Why is the frequency of sickle cell anaemia more in the malaria prone areas ?
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 Multiple Choice QuestionsLong Answer Type

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77. 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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 Multiple Choice QuestionsShort Answer Type

78. What observations is natural selection based on ?
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79. How is artificial selection different from natural selection ? 
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80. Polyploidy can also lead to the formation of a new species very rapidly. Explain.
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