ECOL 302 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Lycaenidae, Coevolution
21 Nov 2014
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12:31 pm: to benefit the most, each partner aims to reduce cost and increase benefits. May not be in their partner"s best interest. Conflict of interests: conflicts of interest underlie mutualisms. Drops secreted per min isn"t 0 b/c if predator comes by, ants may reach caterpillar late. Ants may abandon caterpillars for more rewarding foods. 1. each plant produces less nectar than visitors would prefer so visitors forced to go find more. Simple model for optimal nectar production per flower. Benefit to plant vs nectar volume per flower half circle, with best vol for plant directly through middle, and best vol for animal at right side of half circle. 2. visitors switch plant species if they find more nectar elsewhere - > abandoned plants fail to reproduce, but pollinators have wide array of plants (conflict of interest) 3. mutualists defect - they cheat their partners [possibly when it saves time.
