Evolution__3rd_Edition

642 PART 5 / Macroevolution
Study and review questions
1 What factors cause two interacting taxa to show:
(a) cophylogenies, or (b) deviations from
cophylogenies?
2 How have biologists tried to test whether insects
and flowering plants have promoted each other’s
diversification over evolutionary time?
3 What two pieces of evidence are needed to show
that two coevolving taxa show cospeciation?
4 It has been argued that the transmission mode of
parasites influences the evolution of virulence. From
parasitism select for increased host resistance: see Green et al. (2000) for an experimental
study. Fenner & Ratcliffe (1965) describe myxomatosis. Disease evolution is a related
topic. See the special issues of Science May 11, 2001, pp. 1089–122, for human disease,
and Science June 22, 2001, pp. 2269–89, for plant disease. For background on the
primate–primate lentivirus example see also Hahn et al. (2000) and Holmes (2000a).
Proctor & Owens (2000) describe bird-mite evolution, including research like that on
gophers and mites in this chapter. Cophylogenies are also found in symbionts, such as
bacteria in aphids (Clark et al. 2000).
Abrams’ (2001) review on predator–prey evolution includes material on “arms
races.” Brodie & Brodie (1999) also discuss the topic, at a more introductory level.
Gould (1977b, chapter 23) popularized Jerison’s work. Bakker (1983) studied coevolution
of the same ungulates and carnivores as Jerison, but looked at their morphological
adaptations for running. Sereno (1999) mentions similar studies in dinosaurs.
Vermeij (1987, 1999) discusses evolutionary escalation, and he also has a chapter in
Rose & Lauder (1996). See also several of the papers in a special issue of Paleobiology
(1993), vol. 19, pp. 287–397. Dietl et al. (2000) provide evidence of escalation in oysters
from the Cretaceous to the early Tertiary. The relation between escalation and extinction
rate is controversial: see Vermeij (1987, 1999) and Dietl et al. (2000) and their
references. Levinton (2001) also discusses (and provides references on) the topic, as
well as Van Valen’s law of constant extinction and the Red Queen hypothesis. Vrba
(1993) integrates the Red Queen hypothesis with climatic change.
this general idea, what rank order of virulence would
you predict for otherwise similar parasites that are
transmitted by the following means: (i) by the breathing
of the host; (ii) by the water supply; (iii) by insect vectors;
or (iv) by copulation of the host?
5 (a) Summarize the hypothesis of evolutionary
escalation. (b) What kind of fossil evidence can be
used to study it?
6 What evolutionary, or ecological, process might
generate the Red Queen mode of coevolution?
..