BRAINCAKENatural Selection in Moths
The peppered moth (Biston betularia) is the classic example of natural selection observed in a real population.
The moth rests on tree trunks during the day. Before the Industrial Revolution almost all peppered moths in Britain were the pale, speckled form, which was camouflaged against pale, lichen-covered bark. A rare dark (melanic) form, called carbonaria, is caused by a single dominant allele and was first recorded near Manchester in 1848.
During the Industrial Revolution, soot from coal burning killed the lichens and blackened tree trunks near industrial cities. This changed the selection pressure:
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Key terms in this lesson
- selection pressure
- An environmental factor that affects the chance of survival and reproduction of organisms with a particular allele or characteristic.
More in Natural Selection
- Fungal Carnivores
- The Same Species in Different Environments
- Natural Selection
- Natural Selection in Oysters
- Reproductive Success
- Directional Selection
- Antibiotics
- Antibiotic Resistance
All 29 lessons in Natural Selection · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics