1. Post your response to the following in 300 words: Describe an example of how natural selection influenced the evolution of a particular species. Include outside sources if applicable.
The story of the Peppered Moth of England is a good example from recent times that shows how natural selection impacted the evolution of a certain species. In England, before the industrial revolution, a light-colored moth called Typica was a prevailing form. The light-colored moth was perfectly suited to many trees with light-colored bark, commonly found in England. The light-color of the moth acted as a camouflage and made it difficult for predators such as birds to spot them on trees with light-colored barks. A dark-colored moth called the Peppered Moth began appearing in England during mid 19th century. These Peppered Moths were better suited to the countryside of industrial areas that were blanketed by soot from years of industrial revolution. When compared to the light-colored moths, there was a dramatic increase in Peppered Moth numbers because of this survival advantage. Of late however, cleaner environmental practices have resulted in the disappearance of soot from urban England, creating a dramatic decline in Peppered Moth numbers because their dark-color made them easily spot-able against areas with light-colored soot-free countryside.
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2. Post your response to the following in 300 words: Given Darwin's Theory of Evolution, what scientific evidence best supports evolution by natural selection?
• Use at least two outside sources.
Fossil records that show the occurrence of change in some earlier species, anatomic and chemical similarities between related forms of life, records of the occurrence of genetic changes in life forms over several generations, proof of natural environment adaptation of species advantaged by natural selection, and geographic division of related species form some of the best scientific evidence that supports the occurrence of evolution by natural selection. Plant and animal remains discovered in deposits of sedimentary rocks provide indisputable proof that changes in species occurred through time. Overwhelming anatomic and chemical similarities among living things logically indicates that they have a common ancestry. Existence of unique life forms in isolated islands supports that these species have evolved in isolation over millions of years and developed distinct characteristics that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Though there is still some doubt over the exact evolutionary paththat some species have taken and the reasons why they have done so, there is still an abundant amount of evidence that suggests that evolution by natural selection has occurred, is occurring, and will occur in the future.
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