Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Non-mutualistic yucca moths and their evolutionary consequences

O Pellmyr1, J Leebens-Mack, C J Huth

  • 1Department of Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA.

Nature
|March 14, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Cheater species evolved from obligate yucca moth pollinators, harming their hosts by not pollinating. Phylogenetic evidence suggests host shifts can allow obligate mutualists to escape such evolutionary instability.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genetic consequences of specialization: yucca moth behavior and self-pollination in yuccas.

Oecologia·2017
Same author

Origins of variance in seed number and mass: interaction of sex expression and herbivory in Lomatium salmoniflorum.

Oecologia·2013
Same author

Young, intact and nested retrotransposons are abundant in the onion and asparagus genomes.

Annals of botany·2013
Same author

Effects of gene flow on phenotype matching between two varieties of Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia; Agavaceae) and their pollinators.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2013
Same author

Pollination biology in hybridizing Baptisia (Fabaceae) populations.

American journal of botany·2011
Same author

Evolution of insect pollination and angiosperm diversification.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Ecology
  • Mutualism

Background:

  • Interspecific mutualisms can evolve from antagonistic interactions, with some becoming obligate dependencies.
  • An intrinsic conflict exists in mutualisms, where exploitation can lead to evolutionary instability and potential extinction.
  • The evolution of 'cheating' within a mutualistic relationship poses a significant challenge to its stability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present phylogenetic evidence for the reversal of an obligate mutualism.
  • To investigate the evolutionary dynamics of cheating within the yucca moth-yucca plant complex.
  • To explore the role of host shifts in the escape from obligate mutualism.

Main Methods:

  • Phylogenetic analysis of the yucca moth complex.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of coexisting pollinator and cheater taxa.
  • Evaluation of evidence supporting host shift hypotheses.

    • Main Results:

    • Phylogenetic data reveal distinct cheater species derived from obligate yucca moth pollinators.
    • These cheaters impose significant costs on yucca hosts by failing to pollinate.
    • Coexisting pollinators and cheaters are not sister taxa, supporting the instability of cheating within a single pollinator lineage.
    • Evidence suggests host shifts preceded the reversal of obligate mutualism.

    Conclusions:

    • Obligate mutualisms can be reversed through the evolution of cheating, as demonstrated in the yucca moth system.
    • Host or partner shifts serve as a critical mechanism for obligate mutualists to overcome evolutionary instability.
    • Understanding these dynamics is crucial for comprehending the long-term persistence of mutualistic relationships.