Question

Write a short note on industrial melanism.

Hint:

Industrial melanism demonstrates that evolution is not a directed process but is based on chance events and natural selection of existing variations.

Answer 1

Step 1: Before industrialization, white-winged moths were more numerous because they could camouflage against lichen-covered trees, while dark moths were eaten by birds.
Step 2: After industrialization, tree trunks became dark due to soot and the death of lichens. This allowed dark-winged moths to survive better (camouflage), while white moths were easily predated.
Step 3: This observation proved that in a changing environment, those variations that provide a survival advantage are selected by nature, leading to a change in the population's characteristics.