What is the evolution of the peppered moth?
Q: What is the evolution of the peppered moth?
A: The evolution of the peppered moth refers to how the moth's appearance changed in response to pollution during the Industrial Revolution in England.
Q: Why were almost all of the moths light coloured?
A: Almost all of the peppered moths were light coloured at first because it gave them camouflage against the light-coloured trees and lichens where they rested during the day.
Q: What happened to the trees during the Industrial Revolution in England?
A: During the Industrial Revolution in England, the trees became blackened by soot.
Q: What happened to the light-coloured moths, or typica, during the Industrial Revolution?
A: During the Industrial Revolution, most of the light-coloured moths became rare because the lichens died out and the trees became blackened by soot.
Q: What happened to the dark-coloured moths, or carbonaria, during the Industrial Revolution?
A: During the Industrial Revolution, the dark-coloured moths flourished because they were better camouflaged and therefore survived better.
Q: What is industrial melanism?
A: Industrial melanism refers to the genetic darkening of species in response to pollutants.
Q: What has happened to light-coloured peppered moths since the Industrial Revolution?
A: Since the Industrial Revolution, light-coloured peppered moths have again become common with an improved environment.
