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Published byCade Ellwood Modified over 10 years ago
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Coevolution
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Between plants and animals A relationship develops between two organisms such that, as they interact with each other over time, each exerts a selection pressure on the other. Evolution of each becomes interdependent on that interaction
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Coevolution a reciprocally induced evolutionary change over time between two organisms
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Types of relationships...
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Symbiotic relationship Ants and Acacia tress Beltian bodies thorns nectaries Ants, caterpillars and acacia
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How is it a mutual relationship? Ants provide tree services too! Attack herbivores, chew up nearby trees so Acacias arent in shadows. Tree provides ants- nectar for food, thorns for nest, protein rich Beltian bodies (on leaf tips)
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Example #2- Figs and Wasps synconium
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Why is it mutually beneficial? Reproductive system of both are tied together. Fig benefits from pollination Wasps benefit by having a food source for larva
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Some primate examples Mutualism –Seed dispersal –Pollination Predation –Seed predation Parasitism –Strangling fig –Polyspecific associations
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Plants and Seed Dispersal Processing techniques Dispersal location Seeds Mechanical properties Shape- Oval seeds Size- large seeds Color?
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Processing technique Damage seed Molars used Undamaged seed Incisor used brown lemur Sifaka
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Dispersal location Not under the tree- tree shadow (why?) Lemurs have short gut passage rate (less than 30 minutes) So there must be some travel away from parent tree.
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Seeds fate? Not get eaten by secondary predator (rats) Buried or in enough feces to germinate Seedling survival (limited- 1 out of 4000 seeds)
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Seed properties Should be resistent to chewing Oval shape facilitates swallowing whole Color attractive to primate (bright?) Large to prevent damage
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Pollination Morphological adaptations Flower size, color, smell Number of plants visited Flower handling
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Morphology Muzzle length Tongue (lemur picture) Ruffed lemur Mouse lemur
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Flower morphology Large flowers Tough petals Produce copious nectar Brightly colored Smell strongly Travelers palm
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Visits and handling Must visit more than one tree with flowers to transfer pollen Need to handle flowers carefully so dont destroy reproductive parts.
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Seed Predation Fruit and seeds Eats seeds protects seeds Fruits simultaneously Still eats seeds but not all seeds Thwarts protection
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Parasitism Strangling fig Polyspecific associations- not true Coevolved relationships
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Summary table
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Are these really examples of Coevolution? ??
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Seed Dispersal: Not a tight relationship Seeds fate once on the ground? Seedling survival? Not dependent on one organism for dispersal- secondary dispersers Dung beetle Agouti
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Pollination: not a tight relationship Flowers can rely on many different pollinators (insects, bats, birds, mammals) BUT- Madagascar- limited pollinators (few bats, birds)
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Once upon a time... In general, a hard relationship to document- a bit of story telling Evolutionary Story Telling- the Angiosperm hypothesis (Handout in coursepack)
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