1. Natural Selection
Is the process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment survive and breed while those less well adapted fail to do so.
The better adapted organisms are more likely to pass their characteristics to succeeding generations.

2. A wee story to set the scene..
Mice are not genetically identical. They are
produced by sexual reproduction which
ensures that they possess different
combinations of genes from their parents.
Important characteristics such as coat colour
and thickness, speed and reactions, food
finding ability, resistance to disease and
aggressiveness will vary from mouse to mouse.

3. Only those mice with the best combinations
of genes for their habitat will survive. This
means that their gene combination will be
passed on to their offspring. Mice with
less useful combinations of genes die and
so these genes are not passed on.
This is the story of natural selection and if
it operates over millions of years then it is
thought that it can give rise to new species.

4. Natural Selection in the Peppered Moth
The peppered moth is a nocturnal insect which rests during
the day on tree trunks. Insect-eating birds prey on the
resting moths by picking them from the tree trunks.
In the early 19th century, the moths were well adapted to
survive as they had light–coloured speckled wings which
camouflaged them against the lichen covered tree trunks.
This meant that the birds could not see them and it gave
the moths some protection.

5. There is another form of the peppered moth
which is melanic – it is nearly all black
coloured.
(If these moths were on a lichen covered
tree such as the one in the picture, do you
think they would survive the beady eyes of
an insect-eating bird?)
Melanic moths show up well against the lichen-
covered trees and birds can easily hunt them.
so melanic moths rarely survive and pass on their
genes.

6. Environmental change and Natural Selection in the Peppered Moth
During the late 19th century, Britain saw the
Industrial Revolution.
Large towns and cities were formed where
factories and industries burned up large
volumes of coal to power them.
Burning the coal caused lots of sooty smoke
and sulphur dioxide.

7. As you know, lichens are very sensitive to pollution
and so will not grow in polluted areas.
The trees became less lichen-covered and more
coated with black soot.
Which moths would be more camouflaged now?
(The melanic form or the light speckled
form?)
Which form would have the greatest survival and increase
in number and pass on their genes to future generations?
Which form would die out and not be able to pass on their
genes?

8. Lichen-covered tree trunk in unpolluted area
Soot-covered tree trunk in
very polluted area
Today, due to the Clean Air Act, the pale form of moth is becoming more numerous again in what were once polluted areas. Perhaps the situation we had before the Industrial Revolution will return one day?

9. Stick In and complete the
‘Peppered Moth Story’

10. Selective Breeding
So far we have looked at natural selection and how this has led to the great biodiversity found today.
We are now going to look at Selective Breeding where humans deliberately choose which individuals to breed. This can happen in both plants and animals.

11. Selective Breeding in Domesticated Animals
Humans deliberately breed desirable characteristics so that the offspring will also show these characteristics.
Over time and several generations later, an improvement may result.
However, it takes quite a long time and the results are not always guaranteed.

12. Example: cows and milk yield
Farming is a huge industry in Britain today.
It would not be cost effective to our farmers if only some of their cows produced large volumes of milk.
So, they will only breed cattle with desirable characteristics (large milk yield). The aim is that the female offspring should be able to produce large quantities of milk.

13. Draw a line graph of the milk yields in cattle from Selective Breeding
YEAR
Average yield (litres per cow per year)
1905
1900
1920
2300
1935
2700
1950
3400
1980
4700
Title: Milk Yields in Cattle
Average yield
Year

14. More Examples of Selectively Bred Animals
Characteristics Selected For
Cattle
Milk and Beef production
Sheep
Milk and Wool quality
Pigs
Growth rate and litter size
Poultry
Growth rate and egg production
Horses
Strength, size and speed

15. Selective breeding in plants
In 1895 a group of American Biologists began a breeding experiment using a variety of maize (sweet corn) whose seed grains varied slightly in oil and protein content.
Firstly they selected only those plants that produced seed grains with the highest oil content – strain O.
Then they selected only those plants that produced seed grains with the highest protein content – strain P.
They repeated this over 50 generations. Strain O showed improved oil content and strain P showed improved protein content.

16. Stick in Figure 10.2

17. Limitations of Selective Breeding
Relies on sexual reproduction
- fertilisation not always guaranteed and there may be difficulties getting individuals to breed.
- can take months or even years to get just one generation so can be very slow.

18. Limitations of Selective Breeding….
Inbreeding is a common method used in selective breeding.
- can lead to an increase in recessive genes.
- since many of these normally hidden recessive genes give inferior qualities, inbred lines may show disadvantages.

19. Limitations of Selective Breeding
Individuals may not have the genes for the desired characteristic.
- If they are not present, they cannot be created e.g. if a gene for disease resistance does not exist in a species then the characteristic cannot be developed in this way.