Levantamento de casos de coevolução biológica no Brasil

Abstract

Coevolution is the evolutionary process in which two or more species exert mutual evolutionary pressure. This phenomenon has aroused the curiosity of scientists for centuries. Despite continuous discussion on the definition, when, and how coevolution occurs, some studies do provide some evidence of coevolution. The goal of this study was to survey biological coevolution cases in Brazil. Specifically, we detailed the interspecific interactions, the taxonomic groups, the locations, and whether there is commercial interest in the coevolution cases found. For this, we searched for scientific papers in the platform Periódicos CAPES. We found 11 papers, of which eight addressed parasitism, three mutualism, and one herbivory. Our results show that coevolution is understudied in Brazil, which can impair biodiversity conservation. We suggest a deeper investigation of coevolution, aiming for species conservation, education, and even economic benefits.