According to Tutt, why did dark peppered moths (Biston betularia) become more common in industrialized regions?
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is that dark peppered moths became more common in industrialized regions due to natural selection.
In the 19th century, during the Industrial Revolution in England, the environment in some regions changed significantly due to increased pollution from factories. This pollution resulted in soot and other dark substances covering tree trunks and other surfaces. Before this period, light-colored peppered moths (Biston betularia) were more common. These moths blended in well with the lichen-covered trees, making them harder for predators, like birds, to spot.
However, the industrial pollution darkened the tree bark, which made the light-colored moths more visible to predators. As a result, the lighter-colored moths were at a higher risk of being eaten, and their population began to decrease. On the other hand, the darker-colored moths, which were previously rare, were now better camouflaged against the soot-covered surfaces. This provided them with a survival advantage because they were harder for predators to see. As a result, the dark peppered moths had a higher survival rate and, over time, their population grew.
Tutt’s observation demonstrated how environmental changes, like pollution, can influence the survival of certain traits within a species through natural selection. This process is an example of how populations evolve over time in response to changing environmental conditions. The dark-colored moths, once a minority, became more common in industrialized areas, a phenomenon that was later termed “industrial melanism.” This shift in moth populations became a classic example of evolution in action.