industrial melanism

English - English

Definition of industrial melanism in English English dictionary

Darkness of the skin, feathers, or fur developed by a population of animals living in an industrial region where the environment is soot-darkened. The melanization of a population increases the probability that its members will survive and reproduce because it offers protection in the form of camouflage; it takes place over the course of many generations as the result of natural selection of the lighter, more conspicuous animals by predators

Hyphenation

in·dus·tri·al mel·a·nism