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    Biology
    Grade-8
    Easy

    Question

    Natural selection favored melanic moths to survive in industrial areas because:

    1. The tree trunks were light in color.
    2. The dark tree trunks camouflaged the dark moths.
    3. Robins ate most of the dark moths.
    4. The speckled moths bred with the darker moths.

    Hint:

    Before industrialization, the white-winged moths outnumbered the black-winged moths. White-winged moths could blend in well with the lichen-covered trees, allowing them to avoid predatory birds. On the other hand, the black-winged moths were an easy prey for the predatory birds and so their number was reduced.

    The correct answer is: The dark tree trunks camouflaged the dark moths.

      During the industrial revolution, industries emitted black sooty smoke that killed the lichens and turned the trees black due to pollution. This change benefitted the black-winged moth as they blended well with the black tree trunks, and their number increased while the white-winged moth became the prey for predatory birds resulting in a decline in their population.
      Hence, Natural selection favored melanic moths to survive in industrial areas because the dark tree trunks camouflaged the dark moths.

      Related Questions to study

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      The trees on which these moths used to live were white, but now they have been covered in soot from coal factories. Which moth will be more successful in this environment??