BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION IN HOST-PARASITE ASSOCIATIONS

Evolutionary relationships in heterospecific associations (parasitoidi sm, parasitism, commensalism and mutualism) are analysed through a gam e theory model defined in terms of fitness of hosts and parasites. In front of the game solutions (i.e. ESS) which present a great diversity of evolutionary patterns, we envisage co-evolution between hosts and parasites through the evolution of its two fundamental parameters (i.e . host's resistance and parasite's virulence). We then discuss the rec iprocal influence of hosts and parasites on their respective biodivers ity.