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Related Concept Videos

Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations, psychological...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

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Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
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Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
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Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

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Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
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Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
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Coevolution and maladaptation.

John N Thompson1, Scott L Nuismer, Richard Gomulkiewicz

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Earth and Marine Sciences Building, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064.

Integrative and Comparative Biology
|June 29, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Coevolution often leads to temporary maladaptation rather than perfect adaptation. Geographic variations and species interactions create complex, shifting patterns of maladaptation, driving evolutionary innovation.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Coevolved symbioses are often cited as examples of adaptation.
  • However, coevolution can also result in populations being moderately maladapted.
  • The selective landscape is dynamic due to reciprocal selection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore how coevolution influences adaptation and maladaptation.
  • To understand the role of geographic structure in coevolutionary processes.
  • To investigate the consequences of spatial variation in coevolution.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of mathematical models of coevolution.
  • Examination of spatially structured species interactions.
  • Consideration of gene flow, genetic drift, and local extinction.

Main Results:

  • Coevolution can maintain moderate maladaptation.
  • Geographic structure creates mosaics of selection and coadaptation.
  • Complex patterns of maladaptation arise from spatially structured interactions.
  • Spatial patterns of maladaptation depend on interaction type and gene flow.

Conclusions:

  • Coevolutionary processes can lead to persistent maladaptation.
  • Geographic mosaics of coevolution generate spatial variation in maladaptation.
  • Maladaptation patterns contribute to species diversification and innovation.