Coevolutionary dynamics of adaptive radiation for food-web development

In the Macroevolution and Red Queen Journal Club on Friday 15th we will discuss Hiroshi C. Ito et al. 2009 paper on food-web development, 'Coevolutionary dynamics of adaptive radiation for food-web development'.

Abstract. To investigate how complex food-webs can develop through repeated evolutionary diversification, a predator–prey model was analyzed. In the model, each individual has two traits: trait x as a predator and trait y as a prey. These traits constitute a two-dimensional phenotype space, in which the whole group of individuals are represented as a phenotype distribution. Predator–prey interactions among the phenotypes are determined by their relative positions in the phenotype space. Each phenotypic cluster was treated as a species. Each species evolves in y to escape from predation, while it evolves in x to chase their prey. Analytical investigation provided two predictions. First, coupled evolutionary diversifications of y and x may occur when the x of predators have caught up with their prey’s y, which may be repeated. Second, complex food-webs may develop when species’ competitive strengths are kept similar within the communities. If the functional response is close to the ratio-dependent response, the competitive strengths of all species are similar when the relationship between predators and prey corresponds to the ideal free distribution (IFD). These predictions were confirmed by numerical simulations.

Published Nov. 11, 2013 2:46 PM - Last modified Dec. 3, 2015 2:27 PM