The reason for the survival of the melanised moth, during the post-industrialization period in England was: |
The melanised moth camouflage with the tree trunks that became dark due to the deposition of industrial smoke and soot so that melanised moth remain unnoticed by predators. Melanised moth were able to tolerate and adapted to the high pollution level due to industrialization where as white winged moth were not able to adapt the high pollution level. The lichens on the tree trunk were food only for the white winged moth and due to industrialisation lichens vanished and thus white winged moth died due to the scarcity of the food and melanised moth got survived. Melanised moth were naturally selected and fittest to survive where white winged were not. |
The melanised moth camouflage with the tree trunks that became dark due to the deposition of industrial smoke and soot so that melanised moth remain unnoticed by predators. |
The correct answer is Option (1) → The melanised moth camouflage with the tree trunks that became dark due to the deposition of industrial smoke and soot so that melanised moth remain unnoticed by predators. Industrial melanism was primarily highlighted in moths, specifically the peppered moth (Biston betularia). This phenomenon refers to the evolutionary change observed in the coloration of peppered moths during the industrial revolution in Britain. As pollution increased and trees became darker due to soot, the population of darker, melanistic forms of the peppered moth increased in industrial areas, demonstrating natural selection favoring moths that were better camouflaged against darkened tree trunks. This adaptation is a classic example of natural selection and is often cited in evolutionary biology to illustrate the impact of environmental changes on species' adaptations. Before industrialization set in, it was observed that there were more white-winged moths on trees than dark-winged but after industrialization, i.e., in 1920, there were more dark-winged moths in the same area, i.e., the proportion was reversed. During the post-industrialization period, the tree trunks became dark due to industrial smoke. Under this condition the white-winged moth did not survive due to predators, dark-winged or melanised moth survived. |