industrial melanism
noun
: genetically determined melanism as a population phenomenon especially in moths in which the proportion of dark individuals tends to increase due to differential predation especially by birds which more easily find and eat lighter-colored individuals in habitats darkened by industrial pollution
Dictionary Entries Near industrial melanism
Cite this Entry
“Industrial melanism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/industrial%20melanism. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share