The Vulnerability of Coevolution
Ellie Mullis | December 2018
In the midst of the biodiversity crisis I often think about myriad of complex co-evolutionary histories between species and their environment. The animal and its food source, the bacteria and its habitat, the virus and its host, the plant and its pollinator. Some swarming species even depend on one another to survive by practicing altruism and self-sacrificing for the greater good of their species. Although these relationships seem to be obvious when considering the practicality of survival, I cannot help but wonder about the inherent trust that species have must have developed with one another over the course of their existence. As I ponder this sentiment, I find it hard to believe that the instrumental use that species use one another for is just that, instrumental. It seems uncharacteristic that the brilliant eco-symphony of relationships that are intertwined in nature today are formed purely out of obligation. I see these co-dependencies as long-lasting friendships in which both species trust and care for one another, in addition to just relying on them to survive.
A small-scale example of this ecological friendship lies on the beautiful Hawaiian islands of Lanai and Molokai where the inhabitants are as vibrant as they are unique. If you were able to soar through over the islands like a bird, you would quickly find an incredible array of abundance of species of all kinds. The tropical islands of Hawaii are such great examples of adaptive radiation that some say if Charles Darwin were to have sailed there instead of the Galapagos, he would have come up with his theory of evolution a lot sooner. Amongst the vast choices of species to study, it is possible that you would settle upon a little red bird with a long skinny beak with a love for the cooler altitudes of Hawaii. This species might stand out from the masses due to the intriguing curve of its beak, or simply because it's adorable allure.
This tropical pollinator, known as the ‘I’iwi or the Scarlet Hawaiian Honeycreeper, is known along with its friend the Mountain Hibiscus flower. With a bond lasting for as long as the species have existed, they have coevolved in nearly every aspect of their life right down to something as intimate as their anatomy. The ‘I’iwi developed its funny beak in order to more harmoniously pair with deep tubular flowers that hide their nectar in the pit of their bloom. Because of this unique adaptation, the plants rely almost solely on birds with this feature, while those birds are confined to flowers that accept their beak shape. This relationship, up until recent changes have appeared to coexist nearly perfectly. The functionality was a perfect match, the uniqueness prompted exclusivity which deterred competition, and each partner could be found in abundance. Unfortunately, new pressed stressors like climate change and human intervention have turned the greatest strength of these species into their greatest weakness.
This troubled situation reminds me of the plight of friendships I have had along the years. In a flourishing friendship, the connectivity and mutual benefits are what make the relationship so great. Sadly, however, when an individual undergoes changes and stressors that affect their well-being it can indirectly end up weakening the relationship and the other individual. My best friend since the 8th grade and I have gone through similar stressors over the years. The problems are usually no fault of either of us but issues concerning school, family, and other friends have at times made us more distant. It never once meant that we cared about one another any less but it would still feel like one of us had abandoned the other. It comes down to the reality that the symbiosis of a friendship cannot be maintained if one party cannot take care of themselves. This can lead to confusion, hostility, and anxiety with never-ending waves of thoughts such as “is this my fault?”, “could I have done better?”, and “how could I help?”. Ultimately, the pursuit to stay afloat comes at a sacrifice to the relationship and can lead to what may feel like betrayal to the other party, as they begin to lose the benefits too. Fortunately in human friendships, this can be temporary and both the individual and the relationship is able to recover. However, in a codependent ecological relationship where one species is facing rapid population decline, reversal of the conditions is unlikely. The idea that you must take care of yourself before taking care of others is an understood truth. However, in the case of the ‘I’iwi where pressed stressed conditions like climate change, rampant disease, and habitat destruction are so potent, it tragically may not ever be able to support its coevolved plant partner in the same capacity as before.
Major issues facing the ‘I’iwi include habitat altercation, avian malaria from non-endemic mosquitoes, and increased variability to the environment due to climate change. These issues all have one main thing in common, human interaction with the environment. Whether humans are the source of the introduction of mosquitos, the reason and the means in which the habitat is destroyed for a food source, or just the ones responsible for the ultimate drivers of climate change, there is no way to avoid the fact that humans are responsible for this declining population. These issues do not stand alone either. Climate change accelerates all these problems by increasing the habitat range for the mosquitos and decreasing the cooler habitat for both the honeycreeper and its food source. With more diseased infiltrators, smaller habitat, and less food, it is hard to imagine the ‘I’iwi has a fighting chance especially because of its limited island geography.
Many other species have coevolutionary pasts and the deterioration of one animal or plant can quickly lead to a unravelling of an entire ecosystem. I think about the combustion of trusts and relationships intertwined with the technical loss of functionality. Most notably, I think about how humans are the culprits and I wonder why, even though we ourselves are a part of nature, we cannot seem to form a bond of trust as the rest of the ecosystem can. Are we capable of such a meaningful relationship, or are we doomed to be the exploitative partner of the natural world, providing niche benefits to some, but ultimately being a source of impending destruction.
Ellie Mullis | December 2018
In the midst of the biodiversity crisis I often think about myriad of complex co-evolutionary histories between species and their environment. The animal and its food source, the bacteria and its habitat, the virus and its host, the plant and its pollinator. Some swarming species even depend on one another to survive by practicing altruism and self-sacrificing for the greater good of their species. Although these relationships seem to be obvious when considering the practicality of survival, I cannot help but wonder about the inherent trust that species have must have developed with one another over the course of their existence. As I ponder this sentiment, I find it hard to believe that the instrumental use that species use one another for is just that, instrumental. It seems uncharacteristic that the brilliant eco-symphony of relationships that are intertwined in nature today are formed purely out of obligation. I see these co-dependencies as long-lasting friendships in which both species trust and care for one another, in addition to just relying on them to survive.
A small-scale example of this ecological friendship lies on the beautiful Hawaiian islands of Lanai and Molokai where the inhabitants are as vibrant as they are unique. If you were able to soar through over the islands like a bird, you would quickly find an incredible array of abundance of species of all kinds. The tropical islands of Hawaii are such great examples of adaptive radiation that some say if Charles Darwin were to have sailed there instead of the Galapagos, he would have come up with his theory of evolution a lot sooner. Amongst the vast choices of species to study, it is possible that you would settle upon a little red bird with a long skinny beak with a love for the cooler altitudes of Hawaii. This species might stand out from the masses due to the intriguing curve of its beak, or simply because it's adorable allure.
This tropical pollinator, known as the ‘I’iwi or the Scarlet Hawaiian Honeycreeper, is known along with its friend the Mountain Hibiscus flower. With a bond lasting for as long as the species have existed, they have coevolved in nearly every aspect of their life right down to something as intimate as their anatomy. The ‘I’iwi developed its funny beak in order to more harmoniously pair with deep tubular flowers that hide their nectar in the pit of their bloom. Because of this unique adaptation, the plants rely almost solely on birds with this feature, while those birds are confined to flowers that accept their beak shape. This relationship, up until recent changes have appeared to coexist nearly perfectly. The functionality was a perfect match, the uniqueness prompted exclusivity which deterred competition, and each partner could be found in abundance. Unfortunately, new pressed stressors like climate change and human intervention have turned the greatest strength of these species into their greatest weakness.
This troubled situation reminds me of the plight of friendships I have had along the years. In a flourishing friendship, the connectivity and mutual benefits are what make the relationship so great. Sadly, however, when an individual undergoes changes and stressors that affect their well-being it can indirectly end up weakening the relationship and the other individual. My best friend since the 8th grade and I have gone through similar stressors over the years. The problems are usually no fault of either of us but issues concerning school, family, and other friends have at times made us more distant. It never once meant that we cared about one another any less but it would still feel like one of us had abandoned the other. It comes down to the reality that the symbiosis of a friendship cannot be maintained if one party cannot take care of themselves. This can lead to confusion, hostility, and anxiety with never-ending waves of thoughts such as “is this my fault?”, “could I have done better?”, and “how could I help?”. Ultimately, the pursuit to stay afloat comes at a sacrifice to the relationship and can lead to what may feel like betrayal to the other party, as they begin to lose the benefits too. Fortunately in human friendships, this can be temporary and both the individual and the relationship is able to recover. However, in a codependent ecological relationship where one species is facing rapid population decline, reversal of the conditions is unlikely. The idea that you must take care of yourself before taking care of others is an understood truth. However, in the case of the ‘I’iwi where pressed stressed conditions like climate change, rampant disease, and habitat destruction are so potent, it tragically may not ever be able to support its coevolved plant partner in the same capacity as before.
Major issues facing the ‘I’iwi include habitat altercation, avian malaria from non-endemic mosquitoes, and increased variability to the environment due to climate change. These issues all have one main thing in common, human interaction with the environment. Whether humans are the source of the introduction of mosquitos, the reason and the means in which the habitat is destroyed for a food source, or just the ones responsible for the ultimate drivers of climate change, there is no way to avoid the fact that humans are responsible for this declining population. These issues do not stand alone either. Climate change accelerates all these problems by increasing the habitat range for the mosquitos and decreasing the cooler habitat for both the honeycreeper and its food source. With more diseased infiltrators, smaller habitat, and less food, it is hard to imagine the ‘I’iwi has a fighting chance especially because of its limited island geography.
Many other species have coevolutionary pasts and the deterioration of one animal or plant can quickly lead to a unravelling of an entire ecosystem. I think about the combustion of trusts and relationships intertwined with the technical loss of functionality. Most notably, I think about how humans are the culprits and I wonder why, even though we ourselves are a part of nature, we cannot seem to form a bond of trust as the rest of the ecosystem can. Are we capable of such a meaningful relationship, or are we doomed to be the exploitative partner of the natural world, providing niche benefits to some, but ultimately being a source of impending destruction.