Customer Reviews

The Geographic Mosaic of Coevolution (Interspecific Interactions)

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We all know of examples of coevolution. The variety of flowering plants and their pollinators is a spectacular example. But this book looks at coevolution on a very small scale. For example, in parts of the Rocky Mountains where crossbill birds are the main eaters of the seeds of lodgepole pines, the cones have evolved mostly to defend against the birds and the birds' bills have evolved mostly to counter those defenses. This is coevolution. But there are also many regions in the Rockies where the primary eaters of pine seeds are squirrels or moths. In those regions those animals mostly shape the cones and the birds bills evolve accordingly. Such regional variations constitute the geographical mosaic of the title.

This book was written to convince researchers that the geographic mosaic of evolution is much more important than most evolution researchers recognize. It contains many, many examples such as the crossbills, and it states many general principles, which are often very similar to previous principles. It has none of the glamour or scope of, say, an account of the transition from fishes to land-dwelling animals. Instead, it is about how researchers study the working of evolution from generation to generation, and that is the level at which evolution actually works. I think anyone who is seriously interested in evolution should read one such book in his lifetime. This book is a good one because the examples aren't too technical. Be prepared to skim over some sections, and to decide which sections you can skim over without losing continuity.

It is also worth noting that, as in most academic writing, nothing is said in plain English if it can be expressed in jargon.

The last chapter deals with something entirely new in evolution: intelligent design. Humans are promoting some forms (through breeding and other forms of genetic engineering), demoting others (by pest control, antibiotics, et al.), and massively transforming environments (e.g. cities and farms). These present unique problems for evolution researchers because they are much faster than "natural" evolution. But they may well be the most important for the future of the species closest to our hearts.
-- Éad

A superbly written text available at a super price. Sums up much of what is known and not known about the coevolutionary process. Does a great job at explaining the theory and critical importance of symbiotic interactions to understanding general ecology and evolution. Also summarizes most of what he wrote about in his earlier books on this subject. The chapters range from the population level to large geographical scales. Three entire chapters on "antagonists" and three entire chapters on "mutualists". Good balance of theory and empirical examples. [Yes, I am an ecologist!] Highly recommended...