Question

the total population graphs below display the results of two different five - year hunting cycles, one on light trees and one on dark trees. how do these results demonstrate natural selection? a. the moth populations shown here demonstrate random fluctuations over time that are not explained by tree color.

Explanation:

Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. In the case of the moths, on dark - trees, darker - colored moths have a survival advantage as they are better camouflaged from predators, leading to an increase in their population over time. On light - trees, lighter - colored moths have the camouflage advantage and thus their population increases. The graphs show changes in moth population percentages over five - year cycles based on tree color, which is a clear example of natural selection as the environment (tree color) is influencing the survival and reproduction of the moths.

Answer:

The results demonstrate natural selection because the moth populations on dark and light trees change over time in a way that is related to their camouflage ability on those tree colors. Moths that are better camouflaged on a particular tree color have a higher survival rate and thus their proportion in the total population increases over the five - year cycles, showing that the environment (tree color) is selecting for certain traits (moth color).