Biological coevolution is a reciprocal evolutionary process in which two or more species exert selective pressures on each other, leading to genetically correlated changes in their traits over time. This process can occur in diverse interaction types, including antagonistic (e.g., host–parasite, predator–prey) and mutualistic (e.g., pollinator–plant, symbiont–host) relationships. Coevolution involves feedback loops where adaptive changes in one lineage alter the fitness landscape of its partner(s), often generating evolutionary arms races, trait matching, or specialization. It is typically studied using comparative phylogenetics, quantitative genetics, and empirical experiments to test for correlated trait evolution and specificity of interaction.
Some insects and microbes develop symbiotic partnerships that become so interdependent they can no longer survive without each other. But how specific are these heritable symbioses? Is it possible for the same species of ...
Ecology
Jun 23, 2026
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An international team of researchers have published a new review in Animal Behavior revealing how communication enables cooperation between different animal species. The review, titled "The ecology and evolution of cues and ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 19, 2026
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249
Can a snake in Thailand influence the evolution of a snake in the Philippines even if the two species never cross paths? According to a new study, the answer may be yes. The research suggests that migratory predators can ...
Evolution
Jun 15, 2026
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A species of moth that was first described in 1818 was believed to be a single species. However, it has since been discovered that it is actually a complex of species, eight of which are found in Brazil. These findings are ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 3, 2026
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For decades, scientists have sought to explain the so-called "Cambrian Explosion," a pivotal period over 500 million years ago when a remarkable diversity of animal life appeared in the fossil record. But rather than a sudden ...
Evolution
May 5, 2026
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67
An international team of ornithologists has overturned one of the oldest assumptions in natural history by directly documenting how common cuckoos lay their eggs in host nests located inside cavities. The findings, published ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 22, 2026
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31
Many insects have lived in close symbiosis with bacteria for millions of years, during which time the bacteria have provided them with vital nutrients, making the mutualistic relationship so close that neither partner can ...
Evolution
Apr 1, 2026
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A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution connects plant and insect physiology, chemical ecology, molecular function, and evolutionary analysis to offer a new perspective on plant–insect coevolution. The research ...
Evolution
Mar 30, 2026
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Milkweed has found a new strategy in its epic evolutionary battle with monarch butterflies: upgrading its toxins to outmaneuver the monarch's resistance. In a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy ...
Evolution
Mar 19, 2026
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40
Most of us have heard the phrase "it takes a village" when it comes to childcare. This age-old saying holds true for some songbirds, and a new study has found that this "village" has evolutionary consequences for their songs.
Evolution
Mar 13, 2026
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