What did Dr Kettlewell hypothesize about the peppered moths?

Hypothesis. Dr. Kettlewell thought that if natural selection caused the change in the moth population, the following must be true: Heavily polluted forests will have mostly dark peppered moths.

What theory was Kettlewell testing?

Kettlewell’s experiment was a test of whether a particular example of natural selection could be accounted for with reference to a specific mechanism or agent, namely, bird predation. If it had failed, biologists would not have rejected the theory of natural selection.

What did Kettlewell publish his findings?

The results of Kettlewell’s 1953 field experiments, conducted in the polluted wood near Birmingham, were initially published in E.B. Ford’s (1955) Moths, part of the New Naturalist series (a popular series of scholarly books written for amateur entomologists).

Why did the population of peppered moths in England change from light to dark after the Industrial Revolution?

However, the Industrial Revolution changed the tree colors. After the pollution from the Industrial Revolution started affecting trees, most of the collected peppered moths were of the dark form. Click for more detail. As the trees darkened with soot, the light-colored moths were easier to see.

How does Kettlewell’s experiment relate to the idea of natural selection?

The experiment found that birds selectively prey on peppered moths depending on their body colour in relation to their environmental background. Thus, the evolution of a dark-coloured body provided a survival advantage in a polluted locality.

Who was Dr Kettlewell?

Henry Bernard Davis Kettlewell (24 February 1907 – 11 May 1979) was a British geneticist, lepidopterist and medical doctor, who performed research on the influence of industrial melanism on peppered moth (Biston betularia) coloration, showing why moths are darker in polluted areas.

What did Dr Kettlewell conclusion?

Conclusion. The conclusion of Kettlewell’s experiment can be summarised as follows: Birds were the main predators of moth. Moth were eaten by birds selectively in both polluted and clean forests, indicating camouflage efficiency of the different varieties of moths.

Why do the dark colored moths have a disadvantage?

To have a light body, the moth has to have both alleles for light body color. Dark moths were at a distinct disadvantage, however, due to their increased vulnerability to bird predation.

What most likely caused the change in the moth population?

When the environment changed, due to pollution, the moth population shifted because light-colored moths became easier to see so they were eaten more often. Organisms that survive have a better chance of reproducing so the population continues to grow.

What did Kettlewell find when he recaptured the moths?

Kettlewell analyzed the percent recaptured and concluded that twice as many dark moths were recaptured in a polluted forest so twice as many white moths were eaten by birds. In an unpolluted forest he found the opposite results. Twice as many white moths were recaptured.

Did the peppered moth population increase or decrease during the Industrial Revolution in England?

After field collection in 1848 from Manchester, an industrial city in England, the frequency of the variety was found to have increased drastically. By the end of the 19th century it almost completely outnumbered the original light-coloured type (var. typica), with a record of 98% in 1895.

What is Dr Kettlewell famous for?

Why did Bernard Kettlewell study peppered moths?

Bernard Kettlewell did several experiments on peppered moths, to explore the factors driving their observed evolution from lighter to darker forms over a relatively short time period. The research most relevant to this claim are the mark-recapture experiments where moths were captured, marked, released onto trees and recaptured the following night.

Do peppered moths evolve from light to dark?

This claim is found nowhere in the research literature. Bernard Kettlewell did several experiments on peppered moths, to explore the factors driving their observed evolution from lighter to darker forms over a relatively short time period.

What did Mary Hooper argue about the peppered moth experiment?

Although not a creationist herself, Hooper argued that the peppered moth experiments failed to represent evolution. She claimed that Kettlewell’s field notes could not be found and suggested that his experiment was fraudulent, on the basis of Sargent’s criticisms alleging that the photographs of the moths were taken of dead moths placed on a log.

What is Kettlewell’s hypothesis?

Hypothesis. Dr. Kettlewell thought that if natural selection caused the change in the moth population, the following must be true: Heavily polluted forests will have mostly dark peppered moths. Clean forests will have mostly light peppered moths. Dark moths resting on light trees are more likely than light moths to be eaten by birds.