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Darwin Natural Selection Examples
Darwin cited several examples to explain the theory of natural selection. In the 19th century, he set out on a voyage to an island to study the phenomenon of natural selection. One of the prime motives for all the species is the survival, and that is why they reproduce. When they reproduce, their genes are passed on to the offspring. These genes bring about changes in them so that the offsprings can survive the newer environment. |
Darwin observed the moths in Manchester during the industrial revolution time. He noticed that before the industrial revolution most of the moths were in tan color. He used to watch them sit on the trunks of the trees. The wings of the moths where light brown in color, while their body was a dark tan in color. This allowed the moths to blend with the trunk color of the tree. This color combination helped to protect the moth from its predators like owls in the night or other birds of prey. However, after a few years of industrial revolution and due to opening of coal mines, there was so much pollution that most of the tree trunks turned black. Eventually Darwin observed that the number of brown moths dwindled. He was not able not see as many. However, in a few years time he did notice black moths appearing on the darker barks of the tree trunks. So, the moths had adapted themselves to their habitat by changing their color. Also, the brown moths were easily identified by their predator and they soon were on the extinction list.
This is one of the most classic examples of natural selection because the entire process was observed by one person in his own lifetime, and the change in the color of the moths occurred so fast that new colored moths were created, while the other colored moths became extinct. This explains the theory of natural selection.
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