How did the industrial revolution impact the population of peppered moth in Britain?
The industrial revolution caused the propositions of each colored morph in the population to become unequal
. Prior to the industrial revolution, the peppered moth population in Britain consisted of mostly light-colored individuals, as they were well-camouflaged against the lichen-covered trees. However, with the increase in industrialization came a rise in pollution, which killed off the lichen and darkened the tree trunks.
As a result, the darker morph of the peppered moth became better camouflaged against the soot-covered trees, allowing them to avoid predators more effectively. This led to an increase in the population of the darker morph, while the lighter morph declined in numbers. This shift in the population's proportions was a direct result of the environmental changes brought about by the industrial revolution.