Final answer:
To calculate the percent increase in moth population across years, the difference in population is divided by the population at the start of the period, then multiplied by 100. With factories becoming cleaner, lighter moths may experience an increase as their camouflage improves in a less sooty environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to calculating the percent increase in moth population over different years. To perform this calculation, we take the difference in population between two consecutive years and divide it by the population at the start of the period. Then, we multiply the result by 100 to get the percentage increase.
- Percent increase from Year 1 to Year 2 = ((5,780 - 3,845) / 3,845) × 100 = 50.33%, or approximately 50% after rounding.
- Percent increase from Year 2 to Year 3 = ((15,804 - 5,780) / 5,780) × 100 = 173.46%, or approximately 173% after rounding.
- Percent increase from Year 3 to Year 4 = ((52,350 - 15,804) / 15,804) × 100 = 231.28%, or approximately 231% after rounding.
Given a cleaner environment with less soot, we might expect an impact on the distribution of moth color in the population. Historically, darker moths flourished in sootier environments as they were better camouflaged against predation, contrasting the disadvantages faced by lighter-colored moths. However, as factories become cleaner and soot levels decrease, it is likely that the lighter moths' camouflage advantage will increase, therefore affecting the population dynamics and potentially leading to an increase in the number of light moths relative to dark moths.