Answer to Question #197584 in Biology for Intezar Ali

Question

Explain industrial melanism and genetic repatterning during isolation with examples.

Answer 1

Industrial melanism is a phenomenon describing how some animals change colour in response to environmental changes caused by pollution. The melanization of a population increases the probability that members of the population will survive and reproduce while lighter members of the population are more conspicuous by predators. Changes in the environment lead to genetic alterations (genetic repatterning) during isolation. For example, a light grey peppered moth (Biston betularia) change their colour to dark to become less visible on soot-covered trees.