Final answer:
Industrial melanism exemplifies directional selection via the example of the color variation in peppered moths around the Industrial Revolution in England, where dark-colored moths became more prevalent due to changes in their environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Industrial melanism is a phenomenon that demonstrates directional selection, a concept in natural selection where environmental changes favor certain phenotypic variations. The renowned example of this is seen in the color shift of the peppered moth population during the Industrial Revolution in England. Prior to industrialization, peppered moths were primarily light-colored, allowing for camouflage against the lighter trees and lichens. However, the emission of soot darkened the trees, making the darker-melanin moths (melanic) less visible to predators and hence more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, this evolutionary change led to a higher frequency of dark-colored moths. After the decline in coal usage and the subsequent lightening of the tree bark, the lighter-colored moths once again became predominant, showcasing the reversal of the trend.