The coevolutionary process / John N. Thompson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Thompson, John N.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Coevolution.

Insect-plant relationships.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (390 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chicago : University of Chicago Press, c1994.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Traditional ecological approaches to species evolution have frequently studied too few species, relatively small areas, and relatively short time spans. In The Coevolutionary Process, John N. Thompson advances a new conceptual approach to the evolution of species interactions-the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution. Thompson demonstrates how an integrated study of life histories, genetics, and the geographic structure of populations yields a broader understanding of coevolution, or the development of reciprocal adaptations and specializations in interdependent species. Using examples of species interactions from an enormous range of taxa, Thompson examines how and when extreme specialization evolves in interdependent species and how geographic differences in specialization, adaptation, and the outcomes of interactions shape coevolution. Through the geographic mosaic theory, Thompson bridges the gap between the study of specialization and coevolution in local communities and the study of broader patterns seen in comparisons of the phylogenies of interacting species.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

Overview

Part I. The Entangled Bank

Part II. The Evolution of Specialization

Part III. Natural Selection and the Geographic Structure of Specialization

Part IV. Specialization and Coevolution

Synthesis: The Geographic Mosaic in Evolving Interactions

Epilogue: Specialization, Coevolution, and Conservation

Literature Cited

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 296-343) and index.

ISBN:

9786612537301

9781282537309

128253730X

9780226797670

0226797678

OCLC:

593240132