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  4. In the case of the peppered moth, black coloured moth became prominent over light coloured moth in England during the industrial revolution. This is an example of:

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Q. In the case of the peppered moth, black coloured moth became prominent over light coloured moth in England during the industrial revolution. This is an example of:

NTA AbhyasNTA Abhyas 2020Evolution

Solution:

Natural selection can lead to stabilisation (in which more individuals acquire mean character value), directional change (more individuals acquire value other than the mean character value) or disruption (more individuals acquire peripheral character value at both ends of the distribution curve).
A study carried out in England for the population of peppered moth (Biston betularia) in the 1850s i.e. prior to industrialization revealed that the population of a white-winged moth on trees was larger than that of the black-winged moths, having more melanin. When the study was repeated in the 1920s i.e. after industrialization, it revealed that the population of black-winged moth was more compared to that of the white-winged moths. The explanation for this reversal was that the predators could easily spot a moth against a contrasting background.