Lecture 21 - Running with the Red Queen

Question 1

What is the difference between abiotic and biotic selective pressures?

Answer 1

Abiotic: Physical environment factors (e.g., temperature, humidity).

Biotic: Other organisms in the environment (e.g., predators, parasites, mutualists).

Question 2

Define coevolution.

Answer 2

Coevolution is a reciprocal evolutionary change in interacting species, driven by natural selection.

Question 3

What is the key difference between mutualism and antagonism in coevolution?

Answer 3

Mutualism: Both species benefit from the interaction.

Antagonism: One species benefits at the expense of the other.

Question 4

What is mutualism? Provide an example.

Answer 4

A relationship where both species benefit. Example: Mycorrhizal fungi and plant roots.

Question 5

What are the three main forms of predation?

Answer 5

True predation: Prey is killed.

Grazing: Prey is partially consumed.

Parasitism: Resources are taken from the prey.

Question 6

How can mutualism drive coevolution?

Answer 6

By creating dependencies between species, such as pollinators and flowering plants.

Question 7

What is competition in interspecies interactions?

Answer 7

An interaction where both species are harmed as they compete for the same resources.

Question 8

When does coevolution occur?

Answer 8

When there is a tight ecological relationship and reciprocal natural selection.

Question 9

What is the Red Queen Hypothesis?

Answer 9

Species must continuously evolve to maintain their position in an ever-changing environment, often in response to an antagonist.

Question 10

Provide an example of an evolutionary arms race.

Answer 10

Rough-skinned newt (producing tetrodotoxin) and garter snakes (evolving resistance).

Question 11

What are the possible outcomes of an evolutionary arms race?

Answer 11

Extinction of one or both species, a stable point, or a shift to a different characteristic.

Question 12

How do fig trees and fig wasps exhibit coevolution?

Answer 12

Fig trees provide places for fig wasps to lay eggs, and fig wasps pollinate fig trees in return.

Question 13

What is parallel evolution?

Answer 13

When two species evolve similar traits independently, but their changes don’t affect each other’s fitness.

Question 14

Describe a mutualistic relationship in nature.

Answer 14

Flowering plants and insect pollinators, where plants provide nectar and insects pollinate flowers.

Question 15

How do parasites drive coevolution?

Answer 15

Parasites evolve mechanisms to exploit hosts, while hosts evolve defences, creating reciprocal selective pressures.

Question 16

What is the difference between coevolution and parallel evolution?

Answer 16

Coevolution involves reciprocal changes between species, while parallel evolution does not.

Question 17

How can interspecies interactions affect evolution?

Answer 17

By acting as selective pressures that influence fitness, survival, and reproduction.

Question 18

Why is mutualistic coevolution often harder to study than antagonistic coevolution?

Answer 18

Because the benefits and costs in mutualism are harder to quantify.

Question 19

What factors make coevolution more likely?

Answer 19

Specific ecological relationships and strong reciprocal selective pressures.

Question 20

What factors drive coevolution between species?

Answer 20

Reciprocal selective pressures.
Heritable traits influencing fitness.
Specific ecological relationships.

Question 21

What role does genetic variation play in coevolution?

Answer 21

Genetic variation allows for adaptations that drive reciprocal changes between species.

Question 22

How can coevolution lead to speciation?

Answer 22

Strong reciprocal pressures may result in divergent evolution and reproductive isolation.

Question 23

What are the limits of coevolution?

Answer 23

Lack of heritable traits.
Weak or inconsistent selective pressures.
Environmental variability disrupting interactions.