Question

10. Using a real-life predator-prey relationship as an example, write a para- graph that describes how one or more characteristics of the predator population and/or the prey population might change as a result of natural selection.

Answer 1

The relationship between the predator and prey that leads to natural selection can be well explained with the example of the dark and light moth. This is also known as industrial melanism.

Before industrialisation, as there was less pollution, so lichens grew on the trunks of trees. As lichens were light colored so the moths with lighter wings increased in population. This was because they could easily camouflage with the tree trunk and the predators attacked the moth with darker shade and hence the moths with lighter wings were naturally selected.

Similarly, after industrialisation as the pollution levels increased, so the lichens on the trees vanished, leaving brown trunks.In this case the moths with lighter wings were easily found by the predators and hence the population of the dark winged moths increased.

So this is an example of natural selection, where the prey that could save itself from predator attack increased in population.