Natural selection

Examples on natural selection: e.g.1: Cactus plants (study from the book) e.g.2: Melanic moths: moths have speckled (white) wings which can camouflage in lichen-covered trees. - Until 1849, all trunks were covered with white lichens so the trunks appeared to be white in color. This has allowed the speckled moths to camouflage (blend) and escape predators. - In 1849 and beyond, trunks became black due to industrial smokes (form of pollution). This caused the speckled (white) moths to be easily seen by predators and eaten while black moths escaped by camouflage (see fig.14.20 pg.209, fig 14.21 pg.210) How to explain this according to the theory of natural selection? 1) Over production, lots of white and black moths 2) Selection pressure which is predators or the lichens on trees, struggle for existence occurs. 3) Survival of the fittest. Before 1849, white moths survived because they were the fittest. While after 1849 black moths survived because they became the fittest. 4) Advantageous characteristics (the fittest color white or black) were passed to offsprings. 5) The population of moths will gradually become black (as in after 1849) or white (as in before 1849). e.g.3: Anti-biotic resistant bacteria: 1) There are many bacteria in a place (millions) 2) Selection pressure which is Penicillin which stops bacteria from producing cell walls. 3) The fittest which are not affected by Penicillin (due to mutation) survive while the others die. 4) Those bacteria survive and reproduce producing mutant bacteria. 5) Over some time, descendants may form lots of Penicillin-resistant bacteria. Q: Does natural selection always lead to a change? A: No, if the environment was stable (for example no change in tree color) then the allele for white moths will always be an advantage and not be selected against. This is called stabilising selection. It is the selection that keeps the populations stable through generations. (See fig.14.21 pg.212) e.g.4: Sickle cell anemia - Hemoglobin is coded for by an allele (Hb)
A S

- Hb
A

and Hb

are related by codominancy

Hb
S

: normal Hb : a mutant allele that codes for faulty Hb

A A

Hb Hb
A

Hb
S

: Normal Hb : mixture of normal and sick Hb : sickle cell Hb

S

Hb
S

Hb Hb

Hb

This faulty hemoglobin will produce fibres inside red blood cells that pull red blood cells into a sickle shape that gets stuck in blood vessels. This is sickle cell anaemia and causes pain and death.

*Role of natural selection:

Malaria is a death-causing disease caused by a parasite that is carries by mosquitoes and lives in the blood of the bitten person. -Sickle cell allele gives people some protection malaria , so natural selection has a role in giving an advantage to people heterozygous for sickle cell anaemia in malaria affected people(by protecting them from malaria).

Genotype
A S A A S S

Hb Hb Hb Hb Hb Hb

Death caused by Malaria Sickle cell anaemia No death by neither sickle cell anaemia nor malaria

Normal for Sickle cell anaemia

Sickle cell anaemia