Question

How does industrial melanism support Darwin's theory of natural selection? Explain.

Answer 1

Industrial melanism indicates the effect of industrial pollution on the population of moth.
Before industrialization, the number of the white colored moth on a tree were more than the dark colored moths. The light-colored lichen used to grow on trees and therefore moth predators could not spot white moths easily and so, dark moths were lesser in population. But due to industrial pollution, lichens could not grow on trees and then it became difficult to spot dark moths on the dark background of stem and thus, the population of white moths became less than that of dark moths. This process is termed industrial melanism.
So, before industrialization, white moths are better adapted towards nature but after industrialization, dark colored moths were more fit towards the changed environmental conditions. This supported Darwin's theory of natural selection as the natural condition changes, the organism which is more fit for the environment survives better than the others.