Question

Substantiate with the help of one example that in an ecosystem mutualists
(i) tend to co-evolve and
(ii) are also one of the major causes of biodiversity loss.

Answer 1

(i) Ophrys employs ‘sexual deceit’ to get pollination done by a species of bee. One petal of its flower bears resemblance to a female bee thus attracting male bees for pollination. If the female bee’s colour patterns change even slightly for any reason during evolution, pollination success will be reduced unless the orchid flower co-evolves to maintain the resemblance of its petal to the female bee.

(ii) Co-extinctions: When a species becomes extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it in an obligatory way also become extinct. When a host fish species becomes extinct, its unique assemblage of parasites also meets the same fate.