Coevolution drives the emergence of complex traits and promotes evolvability.

ABSTRACT: The evolution of complex organismal traits is obvious as a historical fact, but the underlying causes--including the role of natural selection--are contested. Gould argued that a random walk from a necessarily simple beginning would produce the appearance of increasing complexity over time. Others contend that selection, including coevolutionary arms races, can systematically push organisms toward more complex traits. Methodological challenges have largely precluded experimental tests of these hypotheses. Using the Avida platform for digital evolution, we show that coevolution of hosts and parasites greatly increases organismal complexity relative to that otherwise achieved. As parasites evolve to counter the rise of resistant hosts, parasite populations retain a genetic record of past coe

SUBMITTER: Zaman L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4267771 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature