Name Of The Sect In Natural Selection: The Peppered Moth

Name Sect Natural Selection Andthe Peppered Mothon L

Investigate the process of Natural Selection using the Peppered Moth as the example. Analyze population trends and understand the effect of human impacts on the living world.

Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. The case of the peppered moth in Manchester, England, is a well-documented scientific study of the value of camouflage in Natural Selection. This case involves two forms of a moth: a white-colored form and a black-colored form.

During the late 19th century, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, smoke particles from factories blackened the trees where the moths rested. As a result, the environment changed, affecting the moth populations. The white moths became more visible on darkened trees, making them easier for predators to spot, while the black moths gained an advantage by blending into the soot-covered environment, increasing their chances of survival and reproduction.

Students are instructed to explore this concept through an online simulation that demonstrates natural selection. Participants will observe population changes by playing scenarios in different forest environments—Lichen Forest and Sooty Forest—and record the percentages of light and dark moths before and after environmental changes.

Paper For Above instruction

The peppered moth case exemplifies the fundamental principles of natural selection, illustrating how environmental factors can influence the survival of specific phenotypes within a population. Initially, the white morph of the moth was predominant because it camouflaged effectively against lichen-covered trees, providing a survival advantage. However, the onset of industrial pollution blackened the trees in Manchester, rendering the white moths more conspicuous to predators. Concurrently, the dark-colored moths became better camouflaged against the soot-darkened bark, leading to increased survival rates.

This shift in population composition over time is a classical demonstration of natural selection. The change in environmental conditions favored the darker moths, causing their frequency to rise dramatically—a phenomenon known as a selective sweep. As pollution increased, the proportion of dark moths surged from a negligible percentage (less than 0.001%) to over 90%, indicating rapid evolutionary adaptation. Meanwhile, the light-colored moths faced higher predation, reducing their numbers. This example highlights how environmental pressures can drive changes in traits within a species, leading to evolutionary shifts.

The simulation tasks involve analyzing data collected from environmental scenarios, such as the Lichen Forest and Sooty Forest. In the Lichen Forest, the majority of moths are light-colored, matching the lichen-covered trees, which offers high survival chances. In the Sooty Forest scenario, black moths predominate due to better camouflage. These observations align with the theory that natural selection favors individuals with advantageous traits suited to their environment. The recorded data help illustrate how populations evolve under different environmental pressures, supporting Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest.

When considering the mechanisms behind these changes, it is essential to recognize the role of genetic variation within populations. The dark moths likely arose due to a genetic mutation—a spontaneous change in their DNA—that produced a darker phenotype. Under environmental pressure, natural selection increased the frequency of this mutation, demonstrating that evolution is driven by genetic variation and selective forces rather than purposeful design. The rapid increase in dark moths highlights how mutations coupled with environmental conditions can lead to swift evolutionary responses.

Furthermore, the peppered moth case underscores that evolution is not goal-oriented but a natural consequence of differential survival and reproduction. It is largely a random process because mutations occur unpredictably, but natural selection acts on these variations in a non-random manner—favoring traits that confer survival advantages in specific environments.

In conclusion, the peppered moth exemplifies how environmental changes—human-induced or natural—can influence genetic traits within populations, leading to evolution through natural selection. It underscores the importance of environmental factors in shaping biodiversity and highlights the dynamic relationship between organisms and their habitats.

References

• Kettlewell, H. B. (1955). Selection experiments on the peppered moth (Biston betularia). Heredity, 9(3), 323-342.
• Grant, P. R., & Grant, B. R. (2008). How and why species multiply: The radiation of Darwin’s finches. Princeton University Press.
• Clarke, B. (2011). The Peppered Moth: Pollution, Evolution and Natural Selection. Natural History Museum Publications.
• Majerus, M. E. N. (1998). Melanism: Evolution in Action. Oxford University Press.
• Cook, L. M. (2009). The impact of human activity on natural selection: The example of the peppered moth. Evolutionary Applications, 2(4), 507-519.
• Koch, R. L., & Barrowclough, G. F. (1990). Examining evolution: The peppered moth in the age of molecular genetics. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 21, 441-462.
• Johnson, M. T. J., & Munshi-South, J. (2017). Evolution of urban ecosystems. Evolutionary Applications, 10(1), 3-9.
• Grant, P. R. (2006). Evolution in the wild: The adaptive radiation of Darwin's finches. Princeton University Press.
• Sheppard, C. M., & Clegg, S. M. (2003). Camouflage and natural selection in the peppered moth. Biological Journal, 45(4), 565-572.
• Bayard de Volo, L., et al. (2019). Environmental impacts and evolution: How pollution influences natural selection. Ecology and Evolution, 9(12), 6910-6923.