Coevolution

Question 1

what are the two different types of selective pressures?

Answer 1

• abiotic
• biotic

Question 2

what is the key difference between abiotic and biotic selective pressures?

Answer 2

Abiotic conditions are not affected if you are adapting to it; biotic environments can change rapidly and reciprocally

Question 3

coevolution

Answer 3

Reciprocal evolutionary change in interacting species driven by natural selection

Question 4

how is coevolution determined?

Answer 4

1) observation
2) experiments, and/or
3) phylogenetic analysis

Question 5

specific coevolution

Answer 5

• One species interacts closely with another species
• Changes in one species induce changes in the other

Question 6

diffuse coevolution (=guild coevolution)

Answer 6

• Groups of species interact in a non-pairwise fashion (but evolution is still reciprocal)
• Example: Pollination syndromes

Question 7

Reciprocal selection favours

Answer 7

• victim traits that decrease the efficacy or frequency of interaction
• exploiter traits that increase the efficacy or frequency of the interaction