Darwin Peppered Moth explanation
The peppered moth is a species of moth found in England. What makes this moth particularly interesting is its coloration, which can vary from light to dark. In the 19th century, a famous evolutionary biologist named Charles Darwin observed that the proportion of light and dark-colored peppered moths in certain areas changed over time.
During the Industrial Revolution, England experienced high levels of pollution, particularly from factory emissions that released soot and other pollutants into the air. This pollution led to the darkening of tree trunks, branches, and other surfaces in industrial areas.
Prior to the industrial revolution, most peppered moths in England were light-colored, which provided them with better camouflage against lichen-covered tree trunks that were common in unpolluted areas. However, when the pollution darkened the environment, the light-colored moths stood out against the now-darkened tree trunks, making them more visible to predators like birds.
In contrast, a small proportion of peppered moths had a naturally occurring dark coloration. These dark-colored moths were better camouflaged in the polluted environment, providing them with a survival advantage. They were less likely to be seen and eaten by predators, allowing them to survive and pass on their dark coloration genes to the next generation.
Over time, as the industrial pollution continued, the proportion of dark-colored peppered moths increased dramatically. This change in the moth population's coloration was observed and documented by scientists, with the dark-colored variant becoming much more common in urban areas than in rural areas.
This observation supports the theory of natural selection, which suggests that individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their beneficial traits to subsequent generations. In the case of the peppered moth, the dark coloration became advantageous in the polluted environment, leading to an increase in the population of dark-colored moths.
The peppered moth's coloration change is often cited as one of the most well-known examples of natural selection in action and has played a significant role in shaping our understanding of evolutionary processes.