Adult peppered moths (Biston betularia) come in a range of shades, ranging from light grey to dark black. Analysis has shown that the color of the moth is determined by genetics. In the age of industrialization, tree trunks were darkened as a result of pollution. It was observed that light-colored moths decreased in these polluted areas while the dark-colored moths increased. This is an example of natural selection .

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

This question presents a statement about peppered moths and asks us to evaluate it in light of natural selection.
First, the scenario: industrial pollution darkened tree trunks, and moths come in light and dark variants with a genetic basis. In polluted areas, the darker moths survive at higher rates because their coloration provides better camouflage against darkened backgrounds, while lighter moths are more visible to predators and die at higher rates. Over generations, this differential survival and reproduction changes the frequency of alleles associated with coloration.
In terms of natural selection, the key components are variation in a trait (color morphs), differential survival due to environmental conditions (dark trunks favor dark moths, light trunks favor light moths), and a genetic basis for the trait that can be passed to offspring. The peppered moth example perfectly illustrates directional selection, a form of natural selection, where one extreme (dark color in polluted areas) becomes more common.
Because the statement recognizes that the color is genetically determined and that environmental change (industrial soot darkening trees) shifts survival success, it aligns with the core concept of natural selection. The explanation does not rely on random chance alone, nor does it attribute the pattern to non-evolutionary processes.
If we were to contrast with potential misconceptions: an idea that selection would never shift if colors were genetic would be incorrect; selection acts on existing variation, and genetic basis allows the favored trait to increase in frequency. Another misconception would be attributing the change to genetic drift alone; drift is random and less likely to produce a predictable pattern tied to environmental change.
Overall, the statement is consistent with natural selection because it ties heritable variation to differential survival in response to a changing environment, leading to shifts in allele frequencies and phenotype frequencies over generations.

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