Natural Selection and the Peppered Moth

These flashcards cover key concepts related to natural selection, specifically focusing on the peppered moth example.

Natural Selection

The process by which favorable inherited traits become more common over time.

Artificial Selection

The process where humans choose the traits of an organism.

Variation

A term that describes a difference in the same trait.

Genetic Mutation

A change in the DNA nucleotide sequence of a gene.

Survival of the Fittest

Some organisms survive better than others due to favorable traits that help them survive and reproduce.

Extinction of Unfavorable Traits

Unfavorable traits are likely to become extinct over time due to lack of survival.

Peppered Moth

A species used to illustrate natural selection, showing how color affects survival based on tree trunk coloration.

Camouflage

Coloring or markings that help an organism blend in with its surroundings.

Impact of Industrial Revolution on Moths

Pollution from coal caused tree trunks to darken, affecting the survival of light and dark moths.

Moth Population Change

Dark moth populations increased on dark trees due to camouflage, while light moth populations decreased.