Co-Evolution

• Phyletic gradualism is the idea that evolutionary change is gradual and that species evolve over time.
• Punctuated equilibrium is a model of evolution where species are not constantly changing, but instead go through periods of rapid change
• What is Co-Evolution?

  • Two species act as a selection pressure on the evolution of each other
  • Both species reinforce each other's phenotype
  • Exerts selection pressure from each other
• What does it mean when they exert selection pressure from each other?

  • One specie develop evolutionary advantage
  • It will then act as a selection pressure to the other specie
• Reciprocal adaptation is two interacting entities are responding evolutionarily to each other. As party A adapts to party B, party B accommodates to party A, which responds to B, and so forth
• What is the other name for coevolution?

  Reciprocal Adaptation
• Advantage of Co-evolution?

  • Results in species having adaptation helpful in surviving
• What does it mean when species have adaptation helpful in surviving?

  • Allow species to become more specialised to be the only species that survive in a particular niche (Beneficial)
  • Less competition for a particular resource
• What are the disadvantages of Co-evolution?

  • Any change or loss of one species may cause loss to the other species
  • Results in lack of variation, species may become vulnerable to habitat change.
• Similarities between Co-evolution and convergent?

  Both the result of selection pressures- acting in reproductively isolated organisms.
• The differences between convergent and co-evolution is that convergent is more about all species having similar selection pressure and similar solutions- Analogous structures. While Co-evolution is about species having similar selection pressure but different solutions, any change in one provides selection pressure for changes in the other
• What is co-evolution?


  Two species influence each others evolution through exerting selection pressure from each other
• Similarities between convergent and coevolution is that they are both the result of selection pressure
• Main differences between coevolution and convergence evolution is that convergent apply the same selection pressure to species hence same evolution occur while in Co-evolution changes in one provides selection pressure for changes in the other.
• Difference between phyletic gradualism and Punctuated equilibrium?

  Gradualism occur slowly but steadily while Punctuated equilibrium punctuated stasis through rapid speciation
• What causes sudden new forms in Punctuated equilibrium?

  Rapidly changing environment and creation of new species due to geographical changes