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Date Submitted: 04/01/2012 08:35 PM

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Describe an example of how natural selection influenced the evolution of a particular species. Include outside sources if applicable. Review a classmate’s post and discuss additional conditions that might have contributed to the selection process.

The peppered moth is a classic example of how natural selection has influenced the evolution of a particular species. Prior to the industrial revolution, the light-colored form of the moth known as typica was the predominant species in England. However, during the period of industrial revolution, the environment was changed due to the massive increase in pollution which resulted in soot collecting on walls and buildings and turning them into a darker color. It was during this period where it was noted that the predominant moth in England was no longer the typica species but in place was the carbonaria species which was dark-colored. The reason behind this change was that the peppered moth underwent mutations through natural selection for a dark phenotype. This is because prior to industrial revolution, the light-colored moth could camouflage itself by hiding on similar colored tree barks. However, the pollution during the revolution changed the color of the environment; hence the light-colored species was easily detected by predators, which is why the moth evolved to be dark-colored to blend in the darker surroundings. In this case, the natural selection process is for the protection against predators.

After reviewing my classmate’s post, I understand there are other factors which can contribute to the selection process. For example, some species mutate to find food for survival. According to Darwin, the giraffe which originally had a short neck, mutated to have a long neck over time so that it can avoid competition for food with animals especially during droughts and have the ability to reach for food where the other hoofed animals cannot. To conclude, there are many reasons why natural selection takes place,...

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