Attempted resurrection of the peppered moth (Evolution)

by David Turell , Friday, November 28, 2008, 18:02 (5837 days ago)

An excellent article has appeared reviewing the position of the peppered moth in the studies of microevolution, that is, changes in a species to respond to changes in the environment. Kelllewell did the original studies to suggest that dark moths appeared and survived because pollution darkened the trees on which they rested and birds could not spot them. Majerus described the errors in K's study and the moths were dropped from textbooks on Darwin. Majerus has restudied the issue in an attempt to re-establish the moth as an example, by undoing K's errors. He has succeeded to some degree. Please read this review: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19626330.500-reclaiming-the-peppered-moth-for-sci... It is evenhanded.