The Coevolutionary Process

John N Thompson

ISBN 10: 0226797600 / ISBN 13: 9780226797601

Published by The University of Chicago Press, 1994

About this Item

In this text, 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 interaction from a 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 creates connections 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.

Seller Inventory # CIN0226797600A

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Coevolutionary Process
• Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
• Publication Date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226797600
• ISBN 13: 9780226797601
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Fair

About this title

Synopsis

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.

About the Author

John N. Thompson is the Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.