Ecology, Evolution and Society

Abstract

The role of ecological factors in evolution is reviewed including geographical isolation, habitat isolation, annual isolation, seasonal isolation, diurnal isolation, sexual isolation, and natural selection. Convergent evolution, degenerative evolution, intraspecific aggregations, sexual adjustments, family organizations and societies are treated as the result of natural selection guiding evolution toward dynamic equilibrium and environmental control. Cooperation is one of the important adaptive mechanisms with survival value. Interspecific and intraspecific cooperation results in the evolution of ecological communities. Illustrative examples of the action of various factors are taken from protozoa, nematodes, snails, crickets, termites, butterflies, mosquitoes, ichneumonids, fish, amphibia, reptiles, birds and mammals.