Final answer:
The impact of predation on butterfly wing patterns, particularly concerning eyespots, demonstrates natural selection. Eyespots can either be selected against if they increase visibility to predators or favored if they mimic predators and scare birds away, influencing butterfly survival and reproduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
When analyzing the impact of predation on butterfly wing patterns, specifically regarding the presence of eyespots, the data suggest a form of natural selection at work. Eyespots on butterfly wings can influence the hunting success of predators, such as birds, and thus affect the survival of the butterflies. If the presence of eyespots increases a butterfly's visibility to predators, as suggested by the comparison of the number of birds attacking butterflies with and without eyespots, this could lead to selection against the trait. This means fewer butterflies with eyespots would survive to reproduce, gradually reducing the frequency of the eyespot trait in the population. However, if eyespots mimic a predator of the birds and cause them to flee, this could benefit the butterflies with that trait, resulting in the selection in favor of eyespots.
The interactions between predator and prey, such as yellow buntings and butterflies in laboratory experiments, provide evidence that one species' response to certain traits can drive natural selection in another species. For example, if butterflies with no eyespots are less likely to be predated, this trait would become more common in the butterfly population over time due to increased survivorship.