RUNNING WITH THE RED QUEEN

Question 1

What is required for evolution by natural selection to occur?

Answer 1

There needs to be variation among individuals, heritable traits, and the variation must affect survival and reproduction.

Question 2

Define “selection pressures.”

Answer 2

Forces that affect the survival and reproduction of organisms, coming from abiotic (physical) or biotic (living) environments

Question 3

What are interspecific interactions?

Answer 3

Biotic relationships between individuals of different species within a community that affect fitness.

Question 4

What is predation?

Answer 4

Interaction where one organism (predator) consumes another (prey), benefiting the predator but harming the prey.

Question 5

Define competition.

Answer 5

Interaction where both species are harmed as they compete for the same limited resources.

Question 6

What is mutualism? Give an example.

Answer 6

Interaction where both species benefit, e.g., bees pollinating flowers while feeding on nectar.

Question 7

Explain commensalism and give an example.

Answer 7

interaction where one species benefits while the other is unaffected, e.g., birds nesting in trees.

Question 8

What is parasitism? Provide an example.

Answer 8

Interaction where one species benefits at the expense of the other, e.g., ticks feeding on animals.

Question 9

Describe mutualism.

Answer 9

Interaction usually involving an exchange of goods or services, with a positive net effect for both species.

Question 10

What is antagonistic interaction?

Answer 10

Interaction that can lead to coevolution where one species suffers, often resulting in cycles or an “arms race.”

Question 11

Give an example of antagonistic interaction that leads to cycles.

Answer 11

Water fleas and bacteria; different strains of bacteria affect water flea reproduction.

Question 12

What is coevolution?

Answer 12

The change in the genetic composition of one species in response to genetic changes in another, leading to reciprocal adaptations.

Question 13

When does coevolution occur?

Answer 13

When there is a tight ecological relationship between species with reciprocal natural selection, like predator-prey or host-parasite relationships.

Question 14

How is coevolution different from parallel evolution?

Answer 14

Coevolution involves mutual adaptation between species, while in parallel evolution, species B evolves in response to species A without species A responding.

Question 15

What are the two types of coevolution?

Answer 15

Mutualistic (both species benefit) and antagonistic (adaptations in each reduce the other’s fitness).

Question 16

What is mutualistic coevolution?

Answer 16

Adaptations in each species increase the fitness of the other, e.g., pollination and seed dispersal.

Question 17

Define antagonistic coevolution.

Answer 17

Adaptations in each species reduce the fitness of the other, often leading to an evolutionary “arms race.”

Question 18

predator/prey relationship

Answer 18

positive for predator

negative for prey

Question 19

parasite/host

Answer 19

positive for parasite

negative for host

Question 20

mutualists

Answer 20

positive for both mutualists A & B

Question 21

competitors

Answer 21

negative effect on both A & B

Question 22

What is an example of a mutualistic interaction involving leaf cutter ants?

Answer 22

Leaf cutter ants bring leaves to fungi, cultivating it as food. The fungi benefit as the ants help spread and sustain it.

Question 23

Why is the relationship between leaf cutter ants and fungi considered mutualistic?

Answer 23

There’s a direct exchange of resources, and both species have increased survival and reproduction due to their interdependence.

Question 24

What evidence supports the mutualistic relationship between leaf cutter ants and fungi?

Answer 24

The ants and fungi have co-speciated, showing a long history of interdependence, with both species benefiting from the relationship.

Question 25

Why is genetic variation important for natural selection?

Answer 25

Genetic variation allows reciprocal selection to produce mutually beneficial adaptations in interacting species.

Question 26

Why might current populations of leaf cutter ants and fungi lack the genetic variation seen in their ancestors?

Answer 26

Selection may have driven beneficial alleles to fixation, and genetic drift could have reduced variation over millions of years.

Question 27

What is an example of an antagonistic interaction involving the ‘eat all your stuff’ beetle?

Answer 27

A specialist predator requires this beetle to survive, creating strong selection pressure on the beetle, which has less chance to evolve resistance.

Question 28

How does the predator impact the ‘eat all your stuff’ beetle population?

Answer 28

The predator kills the beetles, causing a significant reduction in their population size rather than just a minor reduction in fitness, as seen with parasites.