A plant metapopulation exists throughout the floodplain of a small river. Throughout this range it is pollinated by native beetle species, but the primary pollinator changes from a single species in the northern part of the range to a mix of species in the midrange and a different, single beetle pollinator in the southern part of the range. The southern beetle pollinator feeds on the flower corolla while laying its eggs; other beetle pollinators do not. In the midrange, flowers that are damaged by beetle herbivory are excised from the plant in favor of flowers that are pollinated by nonherbivorous beetles, but this does not occur in the southern part of the range. This is an example of ________ coevolution.
A) diffuse
B) antagonist
C) mosaic
D) mutualistic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of mosaic coevolution, where different populations of the plant and its pollinators have different coevolutionary relationships. The plant has different pollinators in different parts of its range, and responds differently to herbivory by its pollinators in different parts of its range. This contrasts with diffuse coevolution, where a species or group of species coevolve with many different interacting species, or mutualistic coevolution, where two or more species evolve mutualistic traits. While there is some antagonistic coevolution occurring between the plant and the southern beetle pollinator, this term does not capture the complex and varied relationships between this plant and its pollinators throughout its range.

A Plant Metapopulation Exists Throughout the Floodplain of a Small