Question

Mention any two examples of evolution by anthropogenic action.

Answer 1

Hint: The term anthropogenic designates an effect or object resulting from human activity.

Complete answer:
Examples of evolution by anthropogenic actions are:
- Industrial melanism: It is a phenomenon depicted by a light-colored peppered moth (Biston betularia typica) and dark-colored moth (Biston betularia carbonaria). Here, Before industrialization, the white-colored moth was more due to camouflage with the lichen-covered white bark of a tree. The dark-colored moth was vulnerable because they could not hide from predators. It is an evolutionary process where the darker individuals predominate over the lighter individuals because of the industrial revolution as it is a result of natural selection.
- Mice Poison Resistance Mutation: The primary poison used to kill pesky mice is called warfarin, and it is used throughout the world. For the betterment of agricultural practices, humans have been trying to kill mice and the little rodents that are attached to the crops. The new variety or hybrid species has evolved that are resistant to the poisons which are being used by humans for killing mice.

Additional information:
- Anthropogeny is the study of human origins. It does not simply mean human evolution by natural selection in fact it is just a part of the processes which are involved in the origin of humans.
- Industrial melanism was first noticed in 1900 by the geneticist William Bateson; he observed that the color morphs were inherited, but did not suggest an explanation for the polymorphism. Later it was analyzed by Kettlewell
- Industrial melanism is an evolutionary effect dominantly seen in the case of several arthropods, where due to the industrial pollution like sulfur dioxide gas and dark soot deposits, dark pigmentation (melanism) has evolved in an environment.
- The popular teaching example in Darwinian evolution which provides evidence for natural selection was studied by Bernard Kettlewell which includes industrial melanism.
- Due to the decrease in pollution, the melanism will also decrease rapidly. It is an example of natural selection which explains the camouflage mechanism of an organism.
- Humans have a higher rate of evolution which is considered to be more dramatic, diverse, and far-reaching influences compared to the evolution of other organisms.

Note: Anthropogenic environments have a strong capacity to alter phenotypic traits of wild organisms by rapid evolution. The consequences of human-induced evolution for human societies are most obvious when the evolving organisms may provide either direct benefits as friends (examples- hunting, domestication, etc) or direct costs as enemies (examples - weeds, pathogens, invasive species, diseases, etc.).