The Coevolutionary Process - Tapa dura

"The importance of Thompson's geographical perspective cannot be overstated. Thompson uses it to turn existing views on their head. In particular, he very effectively dismantles our idea of diffuse coevolution by illustrating with numerous examples how what appears to be diffuse is probably much more specific when one looks at the variability in interactions among populations or time periods. I believe that the geographical perspective on coevolution may turn out to be the greatest advance in coevolutionary thinking in years." --Sara Via, Cornell University "In this well-documented and clearly written book, Thompson has managed to integrate an enormous body of literature in a clear-eyed overview of a difficult and diverse field. We are impressed not only with the scope of the book, which includes a myriad of examples from a variety of taxa, but also with the attention to detail." --Carlos Mart nez del Rio and Diane Wagner, Princeton University "[Thompson] argues convincingly that intense study of interactions between species within local areas and phylogenetic analyses of species interactions illuminate only a fraction of the coevolutionary process. Instead, he emphasizes that one must also consider geographic variation in these interactions . . . . This book has a lot to recommend it." --Trends in Ecology & Evolution

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.