EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY AND THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY

Studies on evolving interactions among species and the coevolutionary process have suggested that the conservation of biodiversity requires a broad geographic perspective, if the 'interaction biodiversity' of t he earth is to be conserved with its species diversity. Continued main tenance of the geographic mosaic of specialization, defense and popula tion structure appears to be crucial to the coevolutionary process and the long-term persistence of some interspecific interactions.