Coevolution and Symbiosis Flashcards
Pairwise Evolution
involving just two particular species
- i.e. particular plant and particular pollinator
Coevolution
two or more unrelated species adapting to each other
Diffuse Coevolution
involving multiple species
- i.e. many species of bugs pollinating many species of plants
Symbiosis
interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association
- i.e. commensalism, mutualism, parasitism
Commensalism
host is not affected
i.e. the shark and the remora; the remora pretty much follows around the shark and eats their scraps and gain a certain amount of protection but don’t affect the shark at all
Mutualism
host benefits
- i.e. clown fish and the anemone; the clown fish isn’t stung by the anemone and can live there and brings the anemone food
Parasitism
the host is harmed
i.e. humans and tapeworms
Brood Parasitism
a form of social parasitism practiced by certain birds;
one species lays their eggs in the nest of other birds causing their offspring to be raised by the host; the offspring of the brood parasite bird kills the offspring of the host
i.e. cukoos
Specific Parasites
only targets one host; more benign relationship for the host
General Parasites
targets and parasitizes many host species; very bad for the host
Adaptations of Parasites
- eggs develop rapidly
- young grow fast and are demanding
- destroy host eggs/nestlings
- thick shelled eggs
- destroy the host nest if eggs are recognized (mafia strategy)
Host Counter-Adaptations
- drive away parasites
- eject or bury eggs
- abandon the nest
Photosymbiosis
- dinofagellates = zooxanthellae
- mutualistic algea living in the coral tissues
- gives the color to the coral
Hermatypic Corals
must have zooxanthellae to survive
- zooxanthellae remove CO2 and provides oxygen, which is necessary for the coral
Coral Bleaching
coral expels their vital symbionts when the temperatures get too high
- zooxanthellae pigmentation results in lost color, reverting back to their stark white calcium carbonate skeletons
